Moralists and Modernizers: America's Pre-Civil War Reformers

Stephen Mintz's book is probably the most balanced study of America's antebellum reformers to ever appear. Previously, historians have castigated antebellum reformers as being perfectionists, social controllers, or just plain busybodies . Stephen Mintz's monograph strikes a balance of what reformers accomplished in a sea of human misery that was created by the Market Revolution. His chapter "The Specter of Social Breakdown" evocatively recreates America in the throes of societal breakdown.That chapter we can find the motives of social reformers in America. Mintz writes the " The Specter of Social Breakdown" because this is how Victorian Americans envisioned, in their own minds, what was happening to American society. Victorians were genuinely shocked by the evils that "The Market Revolution" had caused in America. Gangs, crime, drunkeness, prostitution, poverty, violence, and other social evils were shaking America to the core.Stephen Mintz's heavy reliance on secondary resources him to retrace the motives of reformers. Traditional methods of social control were collapsing under the weight of the Market Revolution and new modern measures were needed to take care of people. Before the Market Revolution America was a country where hierarchical society was dissolving after the Revolution. As a result, many people became more vulnerable to sudden economic depression and no where to turn for help. Furthermore, many people who were unable to take care of themselves found institutions of safe refuge. People like Dorthea Dix and others dealt with the mentally ill, the blind, and the poor. Other reform movements like the anti-slavery are also found in this era of reform. Stephen Mintz also details the personal biographies of leading reformers in America. Anyone wanting to understand the leading figures of reform should committ to memory just about every person named in the book. Finally, Mintz strikes a balance in the book when he shows that reformers did do some real good in easing America into the incipient stages of industrial capitalism. Unfortunately, as Mintz notes, that reformers had shortcomings that they could not rise above. This book is probably the best possible synthesis that has appeared on the topic of antebellum reform. Though a short book, readers would be well advised to read each chapter with care or miss key ideas and misunderstand others.This book is a fine introduction to a complicated topic and does make a real contribution in examining the motives of reformers and the real need for reform in America. It is certain that antebellum reformers have a mixed reputation but we should look further than older interpretations and debates.

Stephen Mintz's book is probably the most balanced study of America's antebellum reformers. Previously, historians have castigated antebellum reformers as being social perfectionists, social controllers, or other negative comments. Stephen Mintz's monograph strikes a balance of what reformers accomplished in a sea of human misery that was created by the Market Revolution. His chapter "The Specter of Social Breakdown" evocatively recreates America in the throes of societal breakdown. Traditional methods of social control were collapsing under the weight of the Market Revolution and new ones had to be found. Furthermore, many people who were unable to take care of themselves found institutions of safe refuge. People like Dorthea Dix and others dealt with the mentally ill, the blind, and the poor. Other reform movements like the anti-slavery are also found in this era of reform. Stephen Mintz also details the personal biographies of leading reformers in America. Anyone wanting to understand the leading figures of reform should committ to memory just about every person named in the book. Finally, Mintz strikes a balance in the book when he shows that reformers did do some real good in easing America into the incipient stages of industrial capitalism. Unfortunately, as Mintz notes, that reformers had shortcomings that they could not rise above. This book is probably the best possible synthesis that has appeared on the topic of antebellum reform. Though a short book readers would be well advised to read each chapter with care or miss key ideas and misunderstand others.

Stephen Mintz's book is probably the most balanced study of America's antebellum reformers to ever appear. Previously, historians have castigated antebellum reformers as being perfectionists, social controllers, or just plain busybodies . Stephen Mintz's monograph strikes a balance of what reformers accomplished in a sea of human misery that was created by the Market Revolution. His chapter "The Specter of Social Breakdown" evocatively recreates America in the throes of societal breakdown.That chapter we can find the motives of social reformers in America. Mintz writes the " The Specter of Social Breakdown" because this is how Victorian Americans envisioned, in their own minds, what was happening to American society. Victorians were genuinely shocked by the evils that "The Market Revolution" had caused in America. Gangs, crime, drunkeness, prostitution, poverty, violence, and other social evils were shaking America to the core.Stephen Mintz's heavy reliance on secondary resources him to retrace the motives of reformers. Traditional methods of social control were collapsing under the weight of the Market Revolution and new modern measures were needed to take care of people. Before the Market Revolution America was a country where hierarchical society was dissolving after the Revolution. As a result, many people became more vulnerable to sudden economic depression and no where to turn for help. Furthermore, many people who were unable to take care of themselves found institutions of safe refuge. People like Dorthea Dix and others dealt with the mentally ill, the blind, and the poor. Other reform movements like the anti-slavery are also found in this era of reform. Stephen Mintz also details the personal biographies of leading reformers in America. Anyone wanting to understand the leading figures of reform should committ to memory just about every person named in the book. Finally, Mintz strikes a balance in the book when he shows that reformers did do some real good in easing America into the incipient stages of industrial capitalism. Unfortunately, as Mintz notes, that reformers had shortcomings that they could not rise above. This book is probably the best possible synthesis that has appeared on the topic of antebellum reform. Though a short book readers would be well advised to read each chapter with care or miss key ideas and misunderstand others.