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Illusions of Progress: Business, Poverty, and Liberalism in the American Century (Politics and Culture in Modern America)

Name: Illusions of Progress: Business, Poverty, and Liberalism in the American Century (Politics and Culture in Modern America)
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Book Synopsis: Today, the word “neoliberal” is used to describe an epochal shift toward market-oriented governance begun in the 1970s. Yet the roots of many of neoliberalism’s policy tools can be traced to the ideas and practices of mid-twentieth-century liberalism.

In Illusions of Progress, Brent Cebul chronicles the rise of what he terms “supply-side liberalism,” a powerful and enduring orientation toward politics and the economy, race and poverty, that united local chambers of commerce, liberal policymakers and economists, and urban and rural economic planners. Beginning in the late 1930s, New Dealers tied expansive aspirations for social and, later, racial progress to a variety of economic development initiatives. In communities across the country, otherwise conservative business elites administered liberal public works, urban redevelopment, and housing programs. But by binding national visions of progress to the local interests of capital, liberals often entrenched the very inequalities of power and opportunity they imagined their programs solving.

When President Lyndon Johnson launched the War on Poverty—which prioritized direct partnerships with poor and racially marginalized citizens—businesspeople, Republicans, and soon, a rising generation of New Democrats sought to rein in its seeming excesses by reinventing and redeploying many of the policy tools and commitments pioneered on liberalism’s supply side: public-private partnerships, market-oriented solutions, fiscal “realism,” and, above all, subsidies for business-led growth now promised to blunt, and perhaps ultimately replace, programs for poor and marginalized Americans.

In this wide-ranging book, Brent Cebul illuminates the often-overlooked structures of governance, markets, and public debt through which America’s warring political ideologies have been expressed and transformed. From Washington, D.C. to the declining Rustbelt and emerging Sunbelt and back again, Illusions of Progress reveals the centrality of public and private forms of profit that have defined the enduring boundaries of American politics, opportunity, and inequality— in an era of liberal ascendance and an age of neoliberal retrenchment.

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Discover the hidden history behind the rise of neoliberalism and its impact on American politics and culture in Illusions of Progress: Business, Poverty, and Liberalism in the American Century. This groundbreaking book by Brent Cebul sheds light on the roots of neoliberalism's policy tools, tracing them back to mid-twentieth-century liberalism. With its compelling narrative, this book explores the powerful alliance between liberal policymakers, economists, and business elites that shaped the political and economic landscape of the United States.

Uncover the fascinating story of "supply-side liberalism," a lasting orientation towards politics and the economy that influenced the nation's views on race, poverty, and economic development. Cebul showcases how ambitious social and racial progress initiatives became intertwined with the interests of big capital. By investigating the local implementation of national programs, the author reveals the unintended consequences of liberal policies, which often entrenched inequalities instead of solving them.

Delve into the era of the War on Poverty under President Lyndon Johnson, which aimed to create direct partnerships with marginalized communities. Discover how business leaders, Republicans, and New Democrats sought to rein in perceived excesses by adopting policy tools and commitments from the supply-side liberalism playbook. As you read through Illusions of Progress, you'll gain invaluable insights into the transformation and expression of America's political ideologies through the frameworks of governance, markets, and public debt.

Illusions of Progress shines a light on the crucial role of public and private profit structures that continue to shape American politics and inequality. From the nation's capital to the declining Rustbelt and emerging Sunbelt, Cebul's comprehensive analysis reveals the enduring boundaries of opportunity and the impact of both liberal ascendance and neoliberal retrenchment. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking book that offers a fresh perspective on the making of modern America.

Ready to uncover the hidden dynamics of American politics and inequality? Dive into the pages of Illusions of Progress: Business, Poverty, and Liberalism in the American Century. Embrace the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the economic and social forces that have shaped our nation. Get your copy now and embark on a transformative journey through the complex history of liberalism in America.

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