Cronyism

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The second act in a three act play is often the most difficult to write—it is the bridge between the beginning and the end. In the case of American history, the period 1849 to 1929 connects the founding of the country to the modern America that the present generation and its parents and grandparents have lived in. There can be no doubt that the support group I have had while researching and writing this book has greatly improved my ability to build that bridge.

Any long-term research project requires many factors of production. Institutional support, of course, is paramount. I would like to thank Hunter Lewis of the Hunter Lewis Foundation for underwriting publication costs and continuing to encourage my research. The Mises Institute also played a crucial role in publishing and promoting this book. I thank it for believing that Cronyism will help advance the Austro-libertarian tradition in the field of economic history. I am especially indebted to Senior Fellow Thomas J. DiLorenzo and Academic Vice President Joseph T. Salerno.

Reviewers with a fresh set of eyes who provide insightful feedback are also necessary. Every piece of writing benefits from the peer review process. In alphabetical order, I would like to thank Chris Calton, E. Fred Carlisle, Tate Fegley, Vincent Geloso, Jule R. Herbert Jr., Jeffrey Rogers Hummel, Tyler Kubik, Karras Lambert, Jeremiah Ludwig, Matthew McCaffrey, Shubho Motad Sadi, Yingmei Nan, Alexander Stewart, and Patrick Tinsley for reading the manuscript. Each one critically evaluated the narrative and the facts in their own helpful way. Special thanks and appreciation go to those who turned the manuscript into a publishable book: Executive Director Judy Thommesen for her patience and stewardship, Senior Editor Daniella Bassi for her editing and critical review, and Christina Nichols for her meticulous copyediting, careful citation review, and friendly insights that improved the clarity, consistency, and scholarship of the book.

Last, but certainly not least, is the emotional support, the raison d’etre for Cronyism’s existence. It is no exaggeration to say that this book would not have been possible without my wife Lydia. Since the time we met in the summer of 2021, she has provided unflagging support and counsel at every stage of the production process, from encouraging me to write the book, supporting my decision to spend countless nights and weekends researching and writing it, reviewing manuscript after manuscript, and poring over the proof pages. She was the indispensable factor of production.

As for the rest, the usual disclaimer applies: any remaining errors or mistakes are my own—though not for want of trying to avoid them.