Public Citizens: The Attack on Big Government and the Remaking of American Liberalism

The story of the dramatic postwar struggle over the proper role of citizens and government in American society.

In the 1960s and 1970s, an insurgent attack on traditional liberalism took shape in America. It was built on new ideals of citizen advocacy and the public interest. Environmentalists, social critics, and consumer advocates like Rachel Carson, Jane Jacobs, and Ralph Nader crusaded against what they saw as a misguided and often corrupt government. Drawing energy from civil rights pro...