I read what amounts to an interesting sidenote to ebear' highly condensed synopsis of American economic history.

It is an article by a Heather Gray (family name Keillor) at www.visionesalternativas.com. She puts forward a hypothesis that the Revolutionary War was largely driven by the desire of those having an interest in retaining the Slave Trade, North and South. To me (I'm on the naive side, by the way) it has some plausibiility and thus throws into a cocked hat all those myriads of huzzas for George Washington, Freedom!. no taxes without representation, etc etc.

Realpolitiks can be so disillusioning!

O.F.

I found that site. Looks like some good reading. Thanks.

In all fairness, you can deconstruct any nation's history just as brutally as I did the USA. There's nothing really unique about the American experience other than the fact that being a young nation it hasn't yet come to terms with its past. It still sees its own history as a form of cultural ascendancy, as opposed to the usual sorry mess you find just about anywhere you care to look. I just picked on it because it was there (sorry Casey - it wasn't about you, trust me) and because Americans are so over the top when it comes to their own history.

The British are just as bad in their own way. History is written by the victor, someone once said. Still, that hasn't stopped Japan from writing its own version of history that to this day angers millions of Chinese, and is a major obstacle to diplomatic relations.

If you're interested in historiography (it sounds like you are) may I suggest some reading:

Marvin Harris - Cultural Materialism

Harold Innis - The Bias of Communication

Marshal McLuhan - The Gutenberg Galaxy

Read them in that order if you can - they lead into each other, especially Innis to McLuhan.

ebear