| John Adams and the Fear of American Oligarchy Subjects: Adams John 1735–1826 -- Political and social views; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783–1809; United States -- Politics and government -- 1775–1783; Oligarchy -- United States; Why American founding father John Adams feared the political power of the rich--and how his ideas illuminate today's debates about inequality and its consequences Luke Mayville is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for American Studies at Columbia University. He is a contributor to Commonweal . |