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Book Review on Theodore Draper's A Struggle for Power: The A
Theodore Draper's A Struggle for Power: The American Revolution was published by Vintage Books in 1996. In his novel, Draper heavily relies on primary resources to show us the complexities of policy and personality that led to war. He makes a persuasive case that the American Revolution was principally typical struggle for power. Draper's approach assists us to better comprehend the inconsistency of loyalties in people such as Benjamin Franklin, who was in favor of the move towards Revolution, but hoped that a compromise could be negotiated to avoid it. The author also gives unbiased attention to both British and American views, as well as French views when appropriate.
Draper sustains his belief that 1764 was the year marking the starting point of the pre-Revolutionary era throughout the novel. His justification for this belief is due to the British barrage to legislation to control economic and legal aspects of life in the colonies during that year. Therefore, he believes that the entire American Revolution was caused by the colonists' desire for independence and liberty. Draper maintains that the Revolution was really a power struggle generated by the British system of chartering colonies, which placed monetary control of public funds with the colonial assemblies. Thus, he focuses on actions of both sides from then until the beginning of the War. He argues that the British dependence of American trade and the Colonies' phenomenal population growth only intensified Americans' desire to control their own destiny.
Draper, widely recognized as one of the most important historians, makes a clear and bold argument about one of the most critical events in our nation's past. Draper shows that the American Revolution was not a contrast of ideologies, but a struggle for power between the power the British wanted to exercise over the Americans, and the power the Americans wanted to exercise over themselves. The author boldly and clearly shows this while drawing on a wealth of contemporary documents, as well as recent scholarship. His argument is quite strong and ardent, as he demonstrates that English politicians were starting to worry about their colonies' growing sovereignty as early as 1700.
At the same time, he ...
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