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Community Leadership in Maryland, 1790-1840 - A Comparative Analysis of Power in Society (Paperback, New edition)
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Community Leadership in Maryland, 1790-1840 - A Comparative Analysis of Power in Society (Paperback, New edition)
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American democracy has fascinated generations of historians. They
have probed its philosophical foundations and the structure of its
institutions, but their studies reveal little about those who
really wielded power in the formative years of the republic.
Employing a sophisticated research design, Whitman Ridgway examines
the changing leadership patterns in four diverse communities in
Maryland from 1790 to 1840. The results indicate clearly the need
to study the American democratic process at the local level.
Ridgway selected Baltimore City, Frederick, St. Marys, and Talbot
counties -- representing the underlying economic and cultural
diversity of one political culture, Maryland -- to evaluate who
governed, how these patterns differed from one community to
another, and how such patterns changed over time. The research
design defines the scope of the study. Ridgway uses the decisional
method of analysis, determining who actually made decisions, in
order to identify the political leaders. His extensive research in
manuscript and newspaper collections, tax and census data, and
religious and geneological records gathered information on some
1,300 persons.
This study of community power illuminates facets of a democratic
society which perplexed Alexis de Tocqueville over a century ago.
Ridgway demonstrates that, despite the expansion of popular
participation in political affairs, the influence of the wealthy
continued to be significant. He shows also how leaders without
benefit of wealth or social ties to the oligarchies were able to
enter community decision making.
In a more modern context, this important book adds to the
literature in several ways. Its greatest contribution is
methological -- no longer can historians talk about power
relationships without studying them directly. The work also
compares two important periods, the first and second party eras,
normally treated in isolation; and through this comparison it
reveals much about democracy, egalitarianism, and power.
Originally published 1979.
A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the
latest in digital technology to make available again books from our
distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These
editions are published unaltered from the original, and are
presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both
historical and cultural value.
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