Thinking in Public with Albert Mohler Woodrow Wilson Reconsidered — A Conversation with Christopher Cox
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Jan 22, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Christopher Cox, former SEC Chairman and Senior Scholar at UC Irvine, delves into Woodrow Wilson's complex legacy. He examines Wilson's dual reputation as a president, highlighting his contributions alongside troubling policies on racism and women's suffrage. Cox connects Wilson's ideals to Enlightenment racial theories and critiques the devastating effects of eugenics. The discussion also reflects on Wilson's political isolation post-World War I and the theme of disillusionment in American democracy, illustrating the nuanced interpretation of historical figures.
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Wilson's Southern Roots
- Woodrow Wilson, born Thomas or Tommy, grew up in a Southern Presbyterian household with Confederate sympathies.
- This upbringing shaped his views on race and American history, influencing his later political career.
Wilson's Racial Hierarchy
- Woodrow Wilson's views on race were influenced by his professors at Johns Hopkins, who promoted a hierarchical, racialized view of history.
- He categorized governments by race in his textbook "The State," placing Aryans at the top and others as less worthy of study.
Wilson's Anachronistic Views
- Both Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt held progressivist views, but Wilson's were more aligned with early 19th-century thinking.
- Wilson's embrace of racial hierarchicalism made him an outlier, even for his time.
