The Republican Evolution

John Kenneth White, Catholic University of America:
Janda’s book is the culmination of decades of research. His detailed analysis of how the Republican Party has abandoned its historical roots, going from a party of freedom to an insurgent outlier that represents an ongoing threat to our democratic institutions, is both timely and welcome.

Brandon Rottinghaus, University of Houston:
An expansive and prescriptive study of the Grand Old Party since 1860, Janda’s The Republican Evolution highlights how divisive issues define but divide the modern Republican Party. Examining party platforms since 1856, Janda maps the evolution of the Republican Party on issues like trade policy, law and order, and civil rights, adeptly demonstrating how the Party moved from being the “Party of Lincoln” to an antigovernment party and diagnosing the ills of the party system along the way. This book is important for scholars of political parties and a must read for anyone concerned about American democracy.

David H. Bennett, professor emeritus of history, Syracuse University:
Kenneth Janda’s The Republican Evolution is a persuasive analysis of what has happened to one of our two great political parties. The GOP once governed with competence and compassion under Lincoln, TR and Eisenhower, and once was a “champion of national authority and political equality.” But in the last half-century, Janda charts how it has become increasingly narrow and cramped, advocating states’ rights, defending racial inequalities and—in the recent past—become dominated by corrosive tribal politics and the destructive personality cult of Donald J. Trump.

Archie Brown, emeritus professor of politics, University of Oxford:
Competing political parties committed to democratic values and institutions are essential ingredients of pluralist democracy. But in recent years, as the highly respected comparative politics specialist Kenneth Janda shows, the Republican Party has been undermining rather than upholding essential democratic norms. The Republican Evolution is a timely analysis of a democracy in crisis, how America got there, and what needs to be done if the United States is to serve as inspiration rather than warning.

Gerald Pomper, professor emeritus of political science, Rutgers University:
Janda stunningly combines scholarly discoveries with worrisome insights into the realities of contemporary politics. His research on Republican ideology from Lincoln to Trump is—in one word—the best study of party platforms ever published. But, sadly, his unique research also reveals the deterioration of the once Grand Old Party to an ethnocentric tribe and personality cult that threatens the future of American democracy.

William Crotty, professor emeritus of political science, Northeastern University:
Outstanding! This book represents the definitive analysis of the Republican Party, its policy commitments, changes that have taken place over time, and how the party has evolved from its birth in 1856 to the cult of Trump in contemporary times. It stands out for the quality, originality, and comprehensiveness of its analysis. A tightly reasoned explanatory framework adds a historical perspective. The book sets the standard for the field.

John W. Dean, former Nixon White House counsel, author of Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers:
This fascinating study traces the Republican Party’s view of the world and itself from birth to the present. Janda’s scholarship provides information and insights that people of good intention can employ to save this fast-failing political institution, which in turn threatens American democracy. This book belongs on the must-read list needed to save our two-party system and our democracy.