American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century

I have a floor-to-ceiling bookcase on American history in the age of Bush, and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this as one of the most gripping analyses I've read on this or almost any other subject. Previous reviewers have noted the author's extraordinary capacity for making connections where one hadn't previously seen them - or seen them so clearly - so I won't repeat them, simply endorse. I feel as if I'm starting to understand linkages that I hadn't seen before or had only dimly grasped at.One exceptional factor is the authhor's breadth and depth of knowledge. Unlike many American authors, his span is world-wide (one of his earliest topics is the rise of Dutch sea power, for example) and deeply rooted in the past. On a couple of occasions I wondered whether he was giving too much emphasis to a particular issue - for example the popularity of the Left Behind series - but then I looked for myself and saw that he wasn't.The present situation has called the best out of some of the world's best historians (I can only hope that someone's listening) but this is superlative. Plus it's extremely well-written. I can't recommend it too highly, even to those who might have a bookshelf bigger than mine.

I haven't read this yet. I assumed it would be interesting and then I read the front cover and realised it said 'American' and 'Theocracy' on it. Will get to it eventually. It's dated and it isn't a snapshot. Probably contains some good insights. Ideal for the modern 'secular liberal Republican'.

The title is a little misleading, as Phillips anatomises the confluence of THREE merging influences on American policy. In the first section he chronicles the growth of US dependence on more and more imported oil, given the peaking of US production alongside the insatiable appetite of SUV Americans, and lays bare the petrol-head motives of the Cheney/Bush drive to Baghdad. The second section deals with the realignment and southernization of Republicanism as it sought the support of the moral-majority Christian groupings that have become such a powerful (if underestimated) force in US politics. The final section deals with the eye-watering levels of debt that have accompanied the `financialization' of the American economy, and the concomitant inequalities (where a CEO of a large manufacturing corporation in the 1960s might have earned 40 times the income of a median employee, the modern equivalent in the financial services sector may earn 500 times as much; with the top 1% of Americans now earning as much post-tax income as the bottom 35%!). As a result it is the Financial, Insurance and Real Estate (FIRE) sector that now pays the piper ($200m for lobbying in 1998 alone) and calls the tune, in terms of deregulation. This has resulted in a `massive realignment of preferences and priorities within the American system', with the Federal Reserve's sole task of protecting the banking and financial services sector supplanting any other kind of government intervention, even - as in the rescue of Citigroup - when this may work against the public interest. (In this context, Enron and Worldcom represent the inevitable sound of roosting chickens). In essence the American economy is being run by and for the money men. And where do these conjoining tributaries meet? In the form of the born-again Bush, with his dynastic roots firmly planted in the soil of financial services and oil.As far as Phillips is concerned "If history teaches us anything, it's that this so-called cutting edge finance is an accident waiting to happen." Certainly the figures are quite staggering (consumer debt at 85.7% GDP; $2.7 trillion extra debt in twelve months ... and so on). Human greed and gullibility, combined with "three decades of determined federal regulatory dismantling ... avarice, legal nonchalance and innovation in new speculative instruments" are just the latest in a sequence of "high-wire acts and bubble-blowing kits so recurrent in the four century history of financial manias, panics and crashes."Unlike many critics of Bush, Phillips comes from a Republican background of impeccable credentials, which makes his savage and wide-ranging indictment of the modern Republican Party all the more hard-hitting - he displays the contempt of an ex-smoker viewing a cigarette manufacturers' convention. There may be a bit more psephological and denominational detail than a UK reader might require, but the influence of these developments on British politics (Iraq, private equity buyouts, attitudes to Islam, etc., etc.) make it essential reading on this side of the Atlantic. Phillips also has an eye for a brilliantly entertaining and humorous turn of phrase, which undercuts the acerbity of his analysis.

Kevin Phillips is perhaps the best person to write a book like this - a Republican analyst, he can not easily be dismissed as someone with a lock-step animosity toward the Right wing. He analyses in the past, including the rise of the Republican party in the manner that it has, has been correct in many ways for several decades. Phillips writes in many ways as someone who is a court insider giving fair warning to the king - the kingdom has some troubles.Phillips identifies three principles areas of concern - the rise of certain elements of religion into the political sphere, the problems of oil as a national addiction (to use the President's own words), and the growing crisis of deficit and economic mismanagement. Phillips is a political commentator with an eye toward history, he makes apt comparisons with empires of the past: the Dutch trading empire, the British colonial empire, and even the Roman empire provide parallels for the United States in the twenty-first century. One thing to note - the period of stability of empires has decreased over the millennia; whereas an empire like Rome might sustain itself for half a millennium, later empires were able to sustain themselves for less and less time. The United States has been the pre-eminent global superpower for less than a century, and is already looking at relative decline.The problem with oil, according to Phillips, involves problems with both foreign and domestic policy as well as cultural issues. Rather than address growing needs, the Republicans in power have instead adopted a dangerous laissez-faire approach that threatens long-term stability, Phillips notes.The problem with the deficit and finance is similar to this - the Republican party used to be the party of smaller government and less spending, but in the past twenty five years, it has only been a Democratic administration that has been able to get the budget deficit under control. This is the kind of fiscal management that again jeopardises the long-term for the country.The problem of radical religion is not a new thing in American politics. While the country might not have been founded on quite the same principles being touted as Founding Fathers Theology today, it is true to say that religion has always had a role in the culture, and hence the politics of the nation. However, the danger is real - Phillips makes very telling comparisons with the ante-bellum situation of the North and South, showing how many issues prior to the Civil War involved religious dimensions, and how the long-term injection of religious radicalism can destabilise the culture (this works on both the Left and the Right, by the way).In addition to a critique of the Right, Phillips has strong words for the Democratic opposition as well, in that there isn't any kind of consistent vision or organisation being offered in distinction from the incumbents.This is a worthwhile book for anyone Left, Right or in the muddle (er, middle).

Informative book.Great read.

As a former GOP strategist, Kevin Phillips has a viewpoint that other Bush Administration critics do not. He sees the multiple faults clearly and up close. His superb writing abilities have provided the curious reader a true gem. Put simply, GET THIS BOOK!Phillips' broad knowledge and experience are only exceeded by his careful research and analysis. He takes aim at difficult and disturbing current events, and succeeds in making sense out of these unusual times. Big Oil, The Bush administration, Iraq, Iran, are only part of the problem. Rising, irrational and destructive evangelical beliefs, rooted in the supposed inerrancy of the bible, together with even more irrational beliefs in a present day Rapture and Armageddon, have taken a choke hold over important parts of society, government and policy. Phillips' analysis is often scary, yet it becomes patently (and painfully) obvious due to his interesting and informative historical perspective.Phillips' analysis of our debt situation is sobering. Yet, this looming danger is being ignored by almost all of today's MSM. Phillips manages to convey his fears and analysis without ever sounding like a hysterical teenager, screaming about pimples and acne before a big date. To the contrary, his approach is all the more effective because his research and facts seem irrefutable.One comes away with the strong feeling that this generation is seeing the destruction of America - not from "terra-ists" or those who "hate us for our freedom", but from incredible debt, peak oil, corporate mismanagement, a thoroughly incompetent Bush Administration and worst of all, the rise of evangelical beliefs which are actually damaging the country.I would have no doubts that Mr. Phillips will suffer from threats, abuse and potentially dangerous situations caused by the ultra-religious right, but for the fact that most of those he so accurately describes probably have difficulties with words containing more than two syllables, unless they pertain to NASCAR or the bible. Add to that, his targets probably don't read anything outside the Tim LeHayne religious propaganda. Thus, we hope that Mr. Phillips remains safe from those extremists.Mr. Phillips has provided Americans with an important, well-written, beautifully edited and impressive book. A generation from now, when historians look back at the fall and collapse of the United States, they will point to his book and say, "Ah, here is one guy who got it, and even warned about it, but like the oracles of old, he suffered greatly by being ignored simply because he was correct."Some works of fiction make for great brain candy, and are fulfulling because they are hard to put down. Rarely does a non-fictional book take on difficult times, scary subjects and do it so well. Phillips' latest is hard to put down, even if his conclusions and findings are so disturbing. A highly recommended read.

500頁近い本だったが、少しずつ読み進めて4カ月かかってしまった。アメリカの現代政治史を専攻している人なら全部を読む価値があるのだろうが、そうでなければ最初と最後、ペーパーバックへの序文（これだけで約４０頁）と第11章「道を誤った共和党の多数派」、だけで著者の論旨はつかめると思う。共和党員の著者は、最近の共和党の変節を石油・キリスト教右派・借金経済の影響力によるものと考え、これが帝国アメリカの衰退につながるものと、警告を発している。特に、２代12年のブッシュ「王朝」への批判は厳しい。・アメリカやイギリスだけでなく、サウジの石油生産量も既にピークを越えているのに、　石油依存経済から脱却できない。・南北戦争で敗れた南部が、福音主義派の勢力拡大に力を注ぎ、結局共和党を押さえて　しまった。アルマゲドンを信じている彼らは、中東での紛争やイスラエルとアラブの　紛争さえ、最終戦争へのステップとみなしている。また、石油は神が用意してくれる　ものと信じているのは、進化論の論争以上に私には驚きだ。・ヘッジファンドなどの借金経済の鬼ッ子。最近の新聞にも、政治献金が突出していると　報道されたばかりだ。政治学の論文のようで、翻訳は出ないだろうと思う。役に立ったかと言われれば、アメリカの基層のところで、宗教の果たしている役割を再認識できたことだろうか。Southern Baptist Convention（南部福音主義派協議会？）の影響力の大きさは侮れない。

Then read this book. If you consider yourself conservative, Christian and patriotic you may angrily dismiss it, but please do so on the basis of contrary evidence and post your review.Phillips never lets us know what his own religious leaning is. If it's Christian, it would add to his credibility. However, religious is not be a prerequisite for writing strong history. He makes a good case behind the premise that America like other empires before it will fail by over-extending militarily, letting our manufacturing base be superseded by finance and credit, ignoring the physics of energy and by becoming a theocracy. The parallels to The Netherlands, England and Spain are convincing.Anyone who loves America will be stunned. With relentless streams of scary statistics and eery historical similarities, he reads like a Steven King of political history. He has observed and written about the religious right's evolution for 25 years, since working for Ronald Reagan. What he says can't easily be dismissed as fiction or the ranting of the newly converted.It's sad that the GOP mainstream will be told what they need to know about the book and will take it on faith that they don't need to read it. Those who take exception to that assessment can start reading and make up their own minds.Good night and God Bless The World.

Ordered this as an addendum to a book study at my parish and your speedy delivery has been very helpful. Thank you.