Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion

by: Walter Nugent

Published by: Vintage Books: A Division of Random House

Reviewed by Steven King, MBA

Anyone who has enjoyed a cursory look into America’s development will note a consistent effort for the original colonies to be established. Nugent presents a very different analysis in his Habits of Empire. Throughout, he classifies the United States as an imperialistic nation – bent on expansion, regardless of cost. One gets the sense that Nugent is unhappy with American expansion and believes that America is a nation that placates itself by an empire-building mindset.

In this work, Nugent frequently gets mired in minutiae, almost to the point of banality. I would expect that because I earned a PhD in History, I would enjoy analysis, but not to the level in this book. One word of warning: do not try to read this book while relaxing for you will soon find yourself dreadfully tired and half asleep.

Nugent expends a lot of energy to paint the “behind-the-action” narrative that amplifies early America’s quest for expansion. With a certain tone of consternation, the author implies that America should never have expanded to its current boundaries but believed all of its acquisitions were on the level of divine right. Apparently Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson believed that America’s vast demographic increase made expansion a necessity – a type of manifest destiny.

For instance, most people remember Benjamin Franklin as an author, inventor, and early American diplomat. Nugent insists that Franklin had nearly an insatiable desire to annex all of modern Canada. That little nugget had evaded all of my history classes in school. Unfortunately, the Canadian War of 1812 proved to hinder America’s efforts to take control of Canada.

Nugent spares no details as he expresses his disdain for the Louisiana Purchase, acquisition of Transappalachia, or expansion into Florida and Texas. There was an enormous amount of political wrangling that transpired where America volleyed between wanton luck and criminal bullying.

If you enjoy history, you will enjoy this book. Be prepared, however, Nugent pulls no punches as he describes the dirty handedness of American expansion since its inception. You will have to decide if America is a republic or an empire.

Armchair Interviews says: History buffs, heed this reviewer’s comments.