In this provocative analysis of the New England town before the Revolution, and of its enduring impact on the American character, Michael Zuckerman makes a major contribution toward a reinterpretation of the nature of American society and the origins of the non-liberal tradition in America. Arguing that the true concern of these towns was not the individual rights or liberties of the citizen, but rather the homogeneity and tranquility of the community, Mr. Zuckerman opens a new perspective on the phenomenon of American "town-meeting democracy.