American culture Quote by Michael Wolff
““The country built on the virtue and the character and the strength of the American workingman circa 1955–65 was the ideal he meant to defend and restore: trade agreements, or trade wars, that supported American manufacturing; immigration policies that protected American workers (and, hence, American culture, or at least America’s identity from 1955 to 1965); and an international isolation that would conserve American resources and choke off the ruling class’s Davos sensibility (and also save working-class military lives). This was, in the view of almost everyone but Donald Trump and the alt-right, a crazy bit of voodoo economic and political nonsense. But it was, for Bannon, a revolutionary and religious idea.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, 2018
The quote describes a nostalgic view of mid‑century America that idealizes strong labor, protectionist trade, restrictive immigration, and isolationism, portraying it as a quasi‑religious belief for some political actors.
In simple terms: A nostalgic, protectionist vision of 1950s‑60s America is seen as a quasi‑religious idea.
Key Takeaway
Question the myth of a lost golden age.
Themes
history
politics
economics
culture
identity
nationalism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
historical
political
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- political debate
- historical comparison
Key Concepts
Protectionism
immigration control
isolationism
working‑class identity
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports or refutes this nostalgic narrative?
- How do modern policies differ from the 1950s‑60s model?
A Different Perspective
The view ignores the era’s social inequities and global interdependence.
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