Arthur Morgan A Progressive Vision for American Reform / Aaron D. Purcell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Purcell, Aaron D., 1972-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Community development--United States--History--20th century.

Community development.

Educators--United States--Biography.

Educators.

Hydraulic engineers--United States--Biography.

Hydraulic engineers.

Social reformers--United States--Biography.

Social reformers.

United States--Social conditions--20th century.

United States.

Antioch College--Biography.

Antioch College.

Tennessee Valley Authority--History.

Tennessee Valley Authority.

Tennessee Valley Authority--Biography.

Bellamy, Edward, 1850-1898--Influence.

Morgan, Arthur E. (Arthur Ernest), 1878-1975.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (368 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Manufacture:

Baltimore, Md. : Project MUSE, 2017

Place of Publication:

Knoxville : The University of Tennessee Press, [2014]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

On May 19, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the appointment of Arthur Morgan (1878-1975), a water-control engineer and college president from Ohio, as the chairman of the newly created Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). With the eyes of the nation focused on the reform and recovery promised by the New Deal, Morgan remained in the national spotlight for much of the 1930s, as his visionary plans for the TVA drew both support and criticism. In this thoughtful biography, Aaron D. Purcell re-assesses Morgan's long life and career and provides the first detailed account of his post-TVA activities and fascination with utopian writer Edward Bellamy. As Purcell demonstrates, Morgan embraced an alternative type of Progressive Era reform throughout his life which was rooted in nineteenth-century socialism, an overlooked, but important, strain in American political thought. Purcell pinpoints Morgan's reading of Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward while a teenager as a watershed moment in the development of his vision for building modern American society. He recounts Morgan's early successes as an engineer, budding Progressive leader, and educational reformer; his presidency of Antioch College; and his revolutionary but contentious tenure at the TVA. After his dismissal from the TVA, Morgan wrote extensively, eventually publishing over a dozen books, including a biography of Edward Bellamy, and countless articles. He also raised money to support an experimental community in Kerala, India, sharing Mahatma Gandhi's belief in small, self-sustaining communities cooperatively supported by persons of strong moral character. At the same time, however, Morgan retained many of his late-nineteenth century beliefs, including eugenics, as part of his societal vision. His authoritarian administrative style and moral rigidity limited his ability to attract large numbers to his community-based vision. As Purcell demonstrates, Morgan remained an active reformer well into the second half of the twentieth century, carrying forward a vision for American reform decades after his Progressive Era contemporaries had faded into obscurity. By presenting Morgan's life and career within the context of the larger social and cultural events of his day, this revealing biographical study offers new insight into the achievements and motivations of an important but historically neglected American reformer.

Contents:

A perilous journey

Finding his world

Reform in progress

Educating the community

Valley of visions

The long road cut short

Rediscovering the utopians

I see a village

Conclusion.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781621901297

1621901297

OCLC:

967550230