The Most Bitter Foe of Nations, and the Way to Its Permanent Overthrow

"The Most Bitter Foe of Nations, and the Way to Its Permanent Overthrow" by Andrew D. White is an address presented in the mid-19th century, specifically in 1866. This book, written in the form of an oration, discusses the challenges posed by aristocracy to national liberty and unity. It examines how aristocratic systems rooted in oppression often become the most significant barriers to developing political rights and social progress. In this comprehensive address, White argues that the most dangerous adversary to freedom and national identity is an aristocracy founded on oppressive traditions. He provides historical examples from various nations—including Spain, Italy, Poland, and France—demonstrating how the upper caste has historically undermined liberty through tyranny, disunity, and a lack of genuine moral and political integrity. White posits that the only successful strategy to combat such oppressive forces is not only to overthrow them but also to ensure that the oppressed classes are granted full civil and political rights to prevent any resurgence of tyranny. His argument serves as a critique of political structures that overlook the fundamental rights of all citizens in favor of protecting the interests of a ruling minority. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Andrew Dickson White was an American historian and educator who co-founded Cornell University, one of eight Ivy League universities in the United States, and served as its first president for nearly two decades. He was known for expanding the scope of college curricula. A politician, he had served as New York state senator and was later appointed as U.S. ambassador to Germany and Russia.