The history of the United States is in crucial respects the history of a developing country, not only in its transition from agricultural and commercial colonies to an industrial nation, but in modern times and the foreseeable future as well. The seven studies in this book, first published in 1992, are primarily concerned with the United States as a developing country in the early twentieth century, evolving from a competitive stage of capitalism to a corporate stage, and from an industrial to a 'postindustrial' society. The chapters treat the emergence and early phases of corporate capitalism and their implications for domestic affairs and foreign relations, the origins and character of corporate liberalism, the pivotal role of Woodrow Wilson in these areas, and the emergence of postindustrial trends. They also explore some critical linkages among economic, political, and cultural developments, in tracing parallels among Henry Adams in the Progressive Era, the 'Young Intellectuals' of the twenties, and the New Left in the sixties.

"In a new book of essays, The United States as a Developing Country (Cambridge, 1992), historian Martin J. Sklar presents a model of capitalist development that is far more relevant to the present than the factory-centered one that still dominates much political and economic thought." John B. Judis, In These Times

"This book interprets American development in the early part of the century and offers intriguing perspectives on modernization and periodization; it also illuminates Sklar's own intellectual odyssey from outrage and despair over American life to acceptance and almost celebration." Emily S. Rosenberg, American Historical Review

"[These] essays present provocative ideas and offer an interesting perspective on the intellectual evolution of a member of the 'Wisconsin School.'...makes interesting reading." David S, Foglesong, Journal of Interdisciplinary History