Today America faces a critical historical dilemma. The progressive/liberal governing synthesis that functioned since the end of World War II has for various reasons dissolved during the early decades of the 21st century. The result has been a pattern of political conflict and disruption accompanied by increasing civil strife and unrest. However, the current dilemma is not the first time America has endured such difficulties. Given that, what are the fundamental characteristics of a governing synthesis and what do the previous syntheses tell us about the shape of an emergent 21st governing synthesis?  

Dr. David K. McQuilkin, Emeritus Professor of History and Political Science, Bridgewater College (Virginia) 

David K. McQuilkin received a B.A. from Muskingum College and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from Kent State University. He also holds an M.S.L.S. from Case Western Reserve University and has done additional study at Harvard, Columbia, California Santa Cruz and Oxford Universities. From 1985 until his retirement in 2009, he taught numerous courses in history and political science at Bridgewater College and Blue Ridge Community College. Throughout his teaching career, he traveled extensively in Russia, Europe and Australia, made presentations for the JMU Lifelong Learning Institute and various community organizations, and provided political commentary on local media. Since his retirement, he has continued his work with the Lifelong Learning Institute, makes presentations to local community organizations and travels to new and unique places.

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