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Podcast: New Books in American Politics
Episode: Adam M. Silver, "Partisanship and Polarization: American Party Platforms, 1840-1896" (Lexington Books, 2022)
Description: This volume explores the development of political parties in nineteenth-century United States of America through an extensive analysis of the official statements by a party in an election, the party platforms, and their connection with political elites and voters. Platforms indicate how party leaders reconciled local, state, and national conflicts and articulated their electoral appeals to various constituencies by showing discussions of their respective policies. Thus, party platforms are a valuable vehicle to assess electoral strategy and party development.By focusing on the platforms of the major political parties—Democrats, Whigs, and Republicans—at the state and nati...