Divide and Dissent: Kentucky Politics 1930-1963

by John Ed Pearce

Pearce, John Ed

255 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

⁹This book has on my to read list for sometime now largely because I am a fan of Governor Combs and there are not many books on Governor Combs to read from. Furthermore, books on Kentucky's proud but sometimes dark political environment comes rare so I thought this book would be a good starting point and in some ways it was a good starting point and some ways it was a book written perhaps by jaded man that casted more stereotypes on the state he reports on.

I'll start with the good news: this book does a great job covering fractions and politics of this era. We see the divide between city vs. rural and rich vs. poor play a role in creating an environment for Chandler vs. Combs (Governor Clements serves as the moderate between these two polar opposite men). I believe this book does a good portraying the vices and virtues of Chandler and Combs. In many ways, Governor Combs' legacy comes out inact by his virtues and the legacy of Governor Chandler comes out tarnished by his vices in this book. Lastly, the thesis of this book neatly follows that these fractions left Kentucky's future divided and hard to follow with a straight line but with the election of Governor Combs' successor in 1963, the fractions begin to die and Kentucky becomes a state where a brand of Eastern Kentucky progressivism becomes normal (until the 1970s).

Now for the bad news, this author perhaps has a minor J.D. Vance mentality: praise the state I cover while attacking its people. The author of this book could have had a perfect book if he didn't spend time attacking Kentuckians themselves. Ultimately, that's the bitter part of this book: it covers the history of Governor Combs and Governor Chandler so well but for whatever good one man does, the author sees fit to attack Kentuckians as "backward", "violent", or "celebrity driven" especially when it comes to picking statewide leaders. Ultimately, I disagree with this writer on that note quite fervently because much of Kentucky's politics is picking the opposite. We pick who we pick because we know them and know they care about Kentucky's future. We have selected good leaders in the past and will in the future because they know us and know the state. I think we have proved those hurtful stereotypes wrong over and over again. It's shame to see a local author cover his state's history so well but rise to attack it's very people and give them more stereotypes that takes years to escape from.

Ultimately, I given this book three stars.

[Michael Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and should be required reading for anyone interested in Kentucky politics. Discussion related to three of the legendary Governors of the 20th century, the factions that eventually destroyed the Democratic Party and the overly burdensome state constitution that prohibits action instead of guiding the future.

[Sean Southard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book jam packed with the history of the warring party factions and political rivalries that shaped Kentucky for both good and ill from 1930 to 1963. If you’re a Kentuckian of the modern age, you likely have heard of A.B. “Happy” Chandler, but perhaps know less about Bert Combs, who was elected Governor in 1959. Pearce holds Combs in higher esteem than Chandler, and credits the former with the courage to pursue a plan to modernize Kentucky across the board: roads, bridges, taxes, state parks, and a failed attempt to update Kentucky’s constitution. Pearce portrays Chandler as a master politician and speaker, but as a constant threat and opponent to the changes sought by Combs and other reform-minded Kentuckians.

If you are interested at all in Kentucky’s history, especially the stories of politics in the Commonwealth, highly recommend.