Carson's full-scale treatment of American history combines scholarly exactness with evocative passages that lead the listener to a clearer understanding of the people and events, the triumphs and the shortcomings, which have shaped this nation. "For Carson, history is the product of the actions of countless individuals, each under the influence of certain ideas. And Carson explores those ideas, ideologies, and ‘isms.'"—The Freeman This sixth volume examines the philosophic and religious divide inherent in such issues materialism and statism, the welfare state, conservatism, liberalism, and the Reagan and Bush administrations. Carson addresses the collapse of Communism in Europe, investigates government obstacles to production, and assays future trends in work, including self-employment.