Promotional Information

A history of the dark side of the "land of the free," Goldstein's book covers both famous and little-known examples of governmental repression, including the Haymarket affair, the repression of opposition to World War I, the McCarthy period, and post-World War II abuses of the intelligence agencies.

About the Author

Robert Justin Goldstein is Professor Emeritus of political science at Oakland University. His books include The Frightful Stage: Political Censorship of the Theater in Nineteenth-Century Europe.
 

Reviews

"Today, as politicians across the spectrum attempt to shred our rights in the name of 'security,' Goldstein's book is an excellent resource, showing how calls for 'security' in the United States have historically provided cover for crackdowns on dissent." -- Eric Ruder, Internationalist Socialist Review ADVANCE PRAISE "[Goldstein's] book is the most comprehensive study we have of political repression. Students of liberty -- and its precarious status in our society -- now have the full historical record for the modern era before them." -- Jerold S. Auerbach, The Progressive "The valid work that has been done [by scholars] on radicals and repression has remained in fragments, waiting for someone to piece together a comprehensive analysis of this fugitive material. Robert J. Goldstein has now performed this job... an important contribution--an immense, informative and skillful interpretation of a vast, relatively unknown terrain." -- William Preston Jr., The Nation "Recurring outbreaks of political repression have been an unfortunate side of American democracy throughout the nation's history. Goldstein's systematic, clear and thoughtful history of this appalling phenomeon should be a warning against complacency." -- Frank Freidel, author of Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous With Destiny