Empires have always built cities in their image. From ancient Persia to the Third Reich; imperial powers have sought to reflect their power and influence through a show of magnificence and a reflection of their values. The transposition to stone of the whole imperial edifice has been found throughout the ages to be an effective way both of overawing the populace and intimidating its opponents. It can take the form of statues; pictures; temples; palaces and grand monuments of many sorts. All combine to produce the necessary justification for the wielding of power. It is in the city as the centre of power that all these things can most effectively be brought together and combined into a powerful statement. It is there also that the power displayed can be wielded to greatest advantage. Geoffrey Parker breaks new ground by tracing the very nature of power through history; exploring the symbolism of these empire-reflecting cities from Persepolis to Constantinople; St Petersburg; the Forbidden City in Beijing and Delhi. Considering the imperial leaders as well as their architects and engineers; he creates a new understanding of the relationship between buildings; design and power. The book concludes with an examination of the changing nature of power in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries and the way in which this is reflected in contemporary symbolism.
#1855456 in eBooks 2014-11-01 2014-11-01File Name: B00PGHIFFY
Review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. RecommendedBy Bianca SultanaIn The Refinement of America; Richard L. Bushman focuses on gentility and how the desire to become one of societys elite led to the formation of a whole new class of consumers. The soaring demand for such accoutrements as porcelain and silver made way for industrial capitalism by creating a market economy. Bushman takes a positive outlook on the spread of commerce and gentility throughout the 18th century British Atlantic World. The gentrification and refinement of America created the desire for social mobility; the American Dream. "Gentility offered the hope that however poor or however undignified their work; could become middle class by disciplining themselves and adopting a few outward forms of genteel living." (Bushman; xvi) In this way lines between classes were blurred. Education and worldliness became more important than ever before; as being polite and well-spoken marked respectability. Bushmans work is easy to read and enjoyable. Growing up in present-day America; we are all taught by our parents to say "please" and "thank you;" and Bushman offers us insight into the origins of polite culture. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning a little bit more about America (particularly; the 18th century) that is not found in school-used text books.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Courtiers in AmericaBy James HumphreysRichard Bushman argues that what we today call manners in America resulted from our forefathers imitating Italian Renaissance court fashion and etiquette. Beginning with the American aristocracy; the gentry; the pursuit of refinement flowed downward from the mansions and plantation houses to the homes and cabins of people on the frontier. From this trickle-down process we today practice customs such as; putting our hand over our mouth when we yawn; having a living room separate from the kitchen; eating with a knife and fork; even putting brick on our houses. He carries his argument well throughout the book. Anyone wondering how or why people act the way they do will find this interesting.13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. the cultural phenomenon of "gentility" examinedBy Kindle CustomerRichard L. Bushman; in his book Refinement of America; takes a fresh look at Colonial America and the cultural phenomena of the rise of "gentility." Taking a somewhat cross-disciplined approach to his material; he has combined the traditional historians look at documentary evidence such as probate records; with an antiquarians curatorial view of historic sites and an anthropological look at society and social customs. By close examination of the proliferation in material goods after 1690 as well as various other changes that show movement from from survival levels of existance to flourishing societies in the new colonies; Bushman lays groundwork demonstrating the profound impact that ideas of gentility had in the stratification of American society into classes. Perhaps the most interesting point that Bushman raises is the potential for cross-class mobility that existed in Colonial America. By examining the changes from one generation to the next; Bushman is able to show the push toward gentility and gentrification among a rising middle class of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.Bushman; in describing the cities and society of eighteenth century America; also makes comparisons to the English and European societies--with their similar social functions and gentility. There is; however; a distinctly American and republican cast to the colonial culture that Bushman is pointing out by these comparisons. American genteel society is not merely a transplanted European aristocracy; but rather a new sort of upper class where status is gained through personal achievement; and family connections; while capable of giving advantage; are secondary to individual skills and success.Overall; Bushman has painted a fascinating side of early American culture from a new perspective -- seeing a deep cultural phenomena of gentility taking shape and in turn shaping the American mind. With his in-depth look and cross-generational approach he makes a good case for his viewpoint on gentility. His variety of documents--probate papers and estates inventories taken together with letters and memoirs; balance out the total lives of his subjects. If there is any weakness to Bushmans book it is that it treats primanily with a such a small segment at the top of the social ladder and seems to neglect the daily lives of the lower classes against which the genteel must be juxtaposed. In all fairness; to have added a closer look at a wider cross-section of population would take far more than one volume and; in fact; might be better left to future texts. Bushman is to be commended for his socio-cultural approach to a issue that helped to shape American individuality and yet might never have been looked at closely by purely traditional historians.
