The Making of a Southern Democracy: North Carolina Politics from Kerr Scott to Pat Mccrory

by Tom Eamon

The story of modern politics in North Carolina is very much one of American democracy, with all its grand ambitions, limitations, and pitfalls. So argues Tom Eamon in his probing narrative of the state's political path since the 1940s. He charts the state's political transformation into a modern democratic society to show that this change was more than an evolution--it was a revolution, one that largely came about through political means, driven by strong movements and individuals working for change.
By tracking the turbulence of politics throughout the period, from racial tensions to student demonstrations to fierce rivalries in the higher education arena, Eamon explores how conflict helped build a better society even as the state continued to lag in many areas. This rich account opens to readers the unforgettable people and hard-fought elections that have shaped North Carolina's competitive personality and have led to the state's emergence as a major player in twenty-first-century American politics.

Genres: History

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book of North Carolina post-WWII history. I had thought there would be little to say after having read Rob Christenson's "The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics." But Prof. Tom Eamon adds a lot to the discussion and analysis of the state of NC politics and elections at the presidential, gubernatorial, Congressional, and state legislative level. The role of race pervades most elections in the 20th (and 21st?) centuries, and the role of second primaries (runoffs) is prominent in most elections. It's not "funny," but there is a high fatality rate for U.S. Senators for our state ... I think 7 or 8 died while in office. But this is a great book (the last 10 years go a bit fast, but that's understandable - hard to analyze the "now" too much). But Helms, Hunt, the Scott family, Gantt, Hodges, Sanford, etc. -- all the names of North Carolina politics are here. A must read for anyone wanting to study, participate, or interested in North Carolina political history.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clocking in at 329 pages, this is a well-researched seemingly bipartisan account of North Carolina state and federal politics from 1950 through the 2012 election. With the exception of Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt, most politicians only a summary mention, and in reference to the primary and election cycles, and in brief for their time in office. Being a transplant from Ohio, I found this a wonderful start on what event lead to our current political climate in North Carolina.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched and an easy read on the last 60 years of NC politics.

[Chuck McGrady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serving in the General Assembly helped make this political history an interesting read, since I know some of the characters and have an insider's view of the process and elections. I enjoyed reading about often history repeats itself---with people playing different roles. This is a good book for someone who wants to understand something about North Carolina's recent political history.