Veblen’s America: The Conspicuous Case of Donald J. Trump

A study of the political rise of Donald Trump through Thorstein Veblen’s theory of barbaric legacies in American development.

One of the world’s leading Veblen scholars has done it again. Sidney Plotkin’s Veblen’s America provides an insightful and brilliant analysis that exposes Trump’s rural ‘country town’ appeal as an expression of the deep red barbaric strand in American political culture, its racism, misogyny and inflamed nationalism. This book is a must-read. - Bill Scheuerman, Professor Emeritus, SUNY, USA

A powerful and unique book: Trump’s presidency is Veblen’s dystopia. Using Veblen’s insight into the competitive thrust of pecuniary culture, Plotkin shows that Trumpism is not a deviation from the arc of US history, but a continuation of its trajectory. - William M. Dugger, Senior Scholar, Global Political Economy Research Unit, and Professor of Economics, University of Tulsa, USA

Sidney Plotkin, one of the most erudite disciples of Veblen, provides a compelling account of America’s astonishing reversion to illiberalism under the presidency of Donald Trump. This is a must-read for anyone concerned about the rise of authoritarianism anywhere in the world. - Ahmet OEncu, Professor of Sociology, Sabanci University, Turkey'Veblen’s America’ examines the astonishing political rise of Donald Trump through the portal of Thorstein Veblen’s theory of barbaric legacies in American development.