American Secession

The Looming Threat of a National Breakup

By: F. H. Buckley

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Americans have never been more divided, and we're ripe for a breakup. The bitter partisan animosities, the legislative gridlock, the growing acceptance of violence in the name of political virtue - it all invites us to think that we'd be happier were we two different countries. In all the ways that matter, save for the naked force of law, we are already two nations.

There's another reason why secession beckons, says F. H. Buckley: we're too big. In population and area, the United States is one of the biggest countries in the world, and American Secession provides data showing that smaller countries are happier and less corrupt. They're less inclined to throw their weight around militarily, and they're freer too.

Across the world, large countries are staring down secession movements. Many have already split apart. Do we imagine that we, almost alone in the world, are immune? We had a civil war to prevent a secession, and we're tempted to see that terrible precedent as proof against another effort. This book explodes that comforting belief and shows just how easy it would be for a state to exit the Union if that's what its voters wanted.

But if that isn't what we really want, Buckley proposes another option, a kind of Secession Lite, that could heal our divisions while allowing us to keep our identity as Americans.

©2020 F. H. Buckley (P)2020 Tantor

GREAT TO MAKE YOU THINK

Can we see session happening again?
would it benefit to do so?
let the Leftist Liberal Socialist Marxists Democrats break away and have thier destruction in a republic of California, republic of New York. and let the rest of us enjoy our freedom and Constitutional rights.

good info

The information was good but the author seemed to repeat it a few times.

Alright, But Needlessly Diminished

The book was OK, but the author engaged at times in attempts at humor that either fell flat or were offensive, such as his snide remarks about West Virginia as well as other states. This immaturity on the author’s part needlessly diminished his message.

Right Wing Bias

While the author does include some academic and historically sourcing, it quickly becomes clear that he see’s one ideological position (liberalism) as the primary problem for our division. By the end of the book, the author outright states that the political left holds more responsibility than the right due to the level of animosity they hold their opponents. While regrettable, this mentality has become commonplace for all ideological positions in the United States. The author instead chooses to cherry pick liberal positions and individuals when highlighting problems facing the country.

If you are looking for an objective account of secession and scholarly solutions/alternatives to it, this is not the book for you. Disappointing.