Blue-collar conservatism Frank Rizzo's Philadelphia and populist politics Timothy J. Lombardo ; with a new preface by the author

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lombardo, Timothy J., Author.

Series:

Politics and culture in modern America

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rizzo, Frank, 1920-1991.

Rizzo, Frank.

Conservatism--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History--20th century.

Conservatism.

Populism--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History--20th century.

Populism.

Mayors--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Mayors.

Working class--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History--20th century.

Working class.

Philadelphia (Pa.)--Politics and government--20th century.

Philadelphia (Pa.).

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania Press [2026]

Summary:

"A nuanced portrait of the blue-collar, white supporters of Philadelphia's police-commissioner-turned-mayor Frank Rizzo and the populist politics that emerged, reissued with a new preface that explores how the era connects to the rise of Donald Trump. The postwar United States has experienced many forms of populist politics, none more consequential than that of the blue-collar white ethnics who brought figures like Ronald Reagan to the White House. Blue-Collar Conservatism traces the rise of this little-understood, easily caricatured variant of populism by presenting a nuanced portrait of the supporters of Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo.In 1971, Frank Rizzo became the first former police commissioner elected mayor of a major American city. Despite serving as a Democrat, Rizzo cultivated his base of support by calling for "law and order" and opposing programs like public housing, school busing, affirmative action, and other policies his supporters deemed unearned advantages for nonwhites. Out of this engagement with the interwoven politics of law enforcement, school desegregation, equal employment, and urban housing, Timothy J. Lombardo argues, blue-collar populism arose. Based on extensive archival research, and with an emphasis on interrelated changes to urban space and blue-collar culture, Blue-Collar Conservatism challenges the familiar backlash narrative, instead contextualizing blue-collar politics within postwar urban and economic crises. Historian and Philadelphia-native Lombardo demonstrates how blue-collar whites did not immediately abandon welfare liberalism but instead selectively rejected liberal policies based on culturally defined ideas of privilege, disadvantage, identity, and entitlement. While grounding his analysis in the postwar era's familiar racial fissures, Lombardo also emphasizes class identity as an indispensable driver of blue-collar political engagement. Blue-Collar Conservatism ultimately shows how this combination of factors created one of the least understood but most significant political developments in recent American history. This timely reissue features a new preface that brings the story up to the rise of Trump and discusses how the demographics and politics of Philadelphia have changed since the Rizzo era"-- De Gruyter Brill

Contents:

Introduction. Blue-collar conservatism and Frank Rizzo’s Philadelphia

City of “neighborhoods” and “jungles”

Grassroots law and order

“This man is the city’s salvation”

Philadelphia plans

“He’s one of us”

Neighborhood politics

The limits of color blindness

Post-Rizzo Philadelphia

Epilogue. Blue-collar conservatism and modern America

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Online resource; title from PDF title page (De Gruyter Brill, viewed January 25, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version Lombardo, Timothy J. Blue-collar conservatism

ISBN:

9781512829105

1512829102

OCLC:

1569752296

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license