Key of Liberty The Life and Democratic Writings of William Manning, "a Laborer," 1747-1814

Obsessed with the struggle between the few and the many, Manning, a common 'laborer' whose writings were collected posthumously, gives a summary of the fiscal and political conditions in Massachusetts and the colonies during the first three presidents' terms. Manning examined the monetary system in detail along with the interrelationships of interest groups in the young country. Fascinating is the introduction by Merrill (Labor Education Center, Rutgers) and Wilentz (history, Princeton), in which they include an analysis of the religious roots of Manning's beliefs and arguments. One of Manning's most penetrating and revealing theories is that popular deference commonly occurs during times of economic prosperity, that in turn breeds a complacency that Manning deplored. The work has generous footnotes and the introduction cogently presents the salient points so the reader can look to the text for Manning's actual expressions.Merrill, Michael is the author of 'Key of Liberty The Life and Democratic Writings of William Manning, "a Laborer," 1747-1814' with ISBN 9780674502871 and ISBN 0674502876.