by Ben Shapiro
First published 2020
Ben Shapiro identifies a growing movement he calls "disintegrationists" who seek to tear down America's foundational principles. He argues that figures like Howard Zinn and projects like the New York Times' 1619 Project view American history through a lens of competing oppressions, treating the nation as fundamentally corrupt from its origins. These critics see American philosophy as lies covering a rotten system and dismiss the culture of individual rights as a power structure facade. Shapiro contends that disintegrationists attack core values from free speech and self-defense to marriage and faith communities, replacing them with government dependence. He contrasts this with a "unionist" vision where Americans unite around shared ideals and universal principles. The book presents Shapiro's case that America must return to foundational truths about history and reality to survive as a cohesive nation, warning that failure to recover these shared beliefs threatens the country's future.
Genres: american, political-science, politics, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Setting: America, United States
Period: 21st Century
288 pages · Hardcover · Broadside Books