Toward "Total Political History"

Abstract

How is the segmented and disoriented world of contemporary historical scholarship, in particular, that of American political history, to be reintegrated and revived? Instead of imposing a substantive synthesis, which would narrow the discipline's focus by excluding many interesting topics, I propose that historians adopt a common approach--rational choice theory--that has proven useful in economics and political science. Using notions drawn from rational choice and examples primarily from the American Civil War and Reconstruction period, I examine the assumptions behind and arguments for three theories in intellectual/cultural history--republicanism, "political culture," and positive/negative liberalism. I then try to spell out some of the implications of rational choice models for the study of electoral, legislative, judicial, and administrative behavior.