- Hardcover: 504 pages
- Publisher: University Alabama Press; 1 edition (Sep 28 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0817315748
- ISBN-13: 978-0817315740
- Product Dimensions: 23.9 x 16.6 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 794 g
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
“I can't imagine that anyone will ever be able to go very far beyond what Frederick has uncovered and described about the inner workings of the Wallace administration and their impact on the state of Alabama. In fact, I would go further. I don't think there is any account of a southern governor in the twentieth century that gives a clearer picture of the day-to-day operations of state governance.”
—Dan Carter, author of Politics of Rage: George Wallace, the Origins of the New Conservation, and the Transformation of American Politics
“One of the great ironies of Alabama political history is that the most important and powerful governor in state history, George C. Wallace, is better known for his national political reputation, agenda, and campaigns than for his stewardship of his office. Thanks to Jeff Frederick’s meticulous research, keen analysis, and spirited writing, that is no longer so. Everyone who has tried to make sense out of Alabama politics will relish this book.”
—Wayne Flynt, author of Alabama in the Twentieth Century
Product Description
Whereas other studies have focused on George Wallace’s career as a national figure, Stand Up for Alabama provides a detailed, comprehensive, and analytical study of Wallace’s political life that emphasizes his activities and their impact within the state of Alabama. Jeff Frederick answers two fundamental questions: What was George Wallace’s impact on the state of Alabama? Why did Alabamians continue to embrace him over a twenty-five year period? Using a variety of sources to document the state’s performance in areas including mental health, education, conservation, prisons, and industrial development, Frederick answers question number one. He cites comparisons between Alabama and both peer states in the South and national averages. Wallace’s policies improved the state, but only in relation to Alabama’s past, not in relation to peer states in the region or national averages. As a result, energy was expended but little progress was made.
To answer the second question, Frederick uses the words of Alabamians themselves through oral history, correspondence, letters to the editor, and other sources. Alabamians, white and eventually black, supported Wallace because race was but one of his appeals. Stand Up for Alabama shows that Wallace connected to Alabamians at a gut level, reminding them of their history and memory, championing their causes on the stump, and soothing their concerns about their place in the region and the nation.
Jeff Frederick examines the development of policy during the Wallace administrations and documents relationships with his constituents in ways that go beyond racial politics. He also analyzes the connections between Wallace’s career and Alabamians’ understanding of their history, sense of morality, and class system. “Stand up for Alabama” was the governor’s campaign slogan.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
George Wallace & Alabama's State Government, Mar 4 2010
By stoic - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Stand Up for Alabama: Governor George C. Wallace (Hardcover)
George Wallace dominated Alabama politics for a quarter century. Consider the six elections Alabama held for Governor between 1962 and 1982. Voters elected Wallace four times and elected his wife once (when he was ineligible to run for re-election).Wallace has been the subject of many books (such as Dan Carter's The Politics of Rage and Stephen Leshar's George Wallace: American Populist). But previous books focus on Wallace's impact on national politics. In Stand Up for Alabama, Jeff Frederick examines Wallace's impact on Alabama.
Stand Up for Alabama is a success. Frederick portrays Wallace as a governor who spent his time campaigning instead of trying to run Alabama. The book shines when Frederick explains how Wallace and Alabama's legislature interacted; the relationship was contentious and the relative power of each side shifted as voters' opinions of Wallace shifted.
The book has a few drawbacks. Conservative readers won't like Frederick's steady criticism of Wallace's opposition to tax increases. At times, the narrative bogs down when it cites reams of statistics comparing Alabama's government programs to those of neighboring states.
At 400 pages, Stand Up for Alabama requires a commitment from its readers. But politics junkies with an interest in state government and civil rights will want to read Stand Up for Alabama.
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