In this timely new study, one of our major political analysts, Seymour Martin Lipset, explores the deeply held but often inarticulated beliefs that shape America's society and thought. Is this country in the throes of a revolution from the right? Is it in decline morally? Is Japan about to replace us as the leading economic power? Why does the United States have the highest crime rate, the most persons per capita in prison? Why is our electoral turnout so low?

Why are we the most open, socially mobile society and the most unequally developed nation in income distribution?

Why is America the most religious country in Christendom? What explains our persistently high rate of opposition to wars and, conversely, our propensity for flag waving and expressions of patriotic enthusiasm? As the 1996 election year begins, Professor Lipset examines the remarkable persistence of an American creed, a double-edged sword that provides both good and bad, offering fresh insights into our culture and its future.