The Age of Acquiescence: The Life and Death of American Resistance to Organized Wealth and Power

Steve Fraser examines how American resistance to ruling elites has declined from the 18th century to the present. Historically, from the American Revolution through the Civil Rights movement, Americans mobilized against political, social, and economic privilege. Hierarchies based on inheritance, wealth, and political preferment were viewed as threats to democracy. Mass movements sought alternatives to capitalism. Over the last half-century, however, this political will and cultural imagination have largely disappeared. The Age of Acquiescence investigates why this shift occurred. Fraser traces the rise of American capitalism, documents visionary efforts to protect democratic institutions, and analyzes the transition to contemporary politics shaped by what he characterizes as delusional narratives of freedom and fear-based messaging.