The Ever-Evolving Espionage Act
On this episode of American Prestige, Sam Lebovic on America’s burgeoning secrecy regime.

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
On this episode of American Prestige, Sam Lebovic, professor of history at George Mason University, joins Danny and Derek for a look at the Espionage Act of 1917 and its use over the years. In this first part of the discussion, they explore the dominant ideologies at the time of its inception, its implementation in cases from Eugene Debs to Herbert Yardley, the law’s effect on whistle-blowing, America’s burgeoning “secrecy regime”, how the interpretation shifted from the early years of the Act’s existence, and more through World War II.
Subscribe to American Prestige on Patreon to hear the second part of this discussion on our Sunday bonus episode!
Sam’s book is State of Silence: The Espionage Act and the Rise of America's Secrecy Regime.
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State of Silence: The Espionage Act and the Rise of America’s Secrecy Regime.
On this episode of American Prestige, Sam Lebovic, professor of history at George Mason University, joins us for a look at the Espionage Act of 1917 and its use over the years. In this first part of the discussion, they explore the dominant ideologies at the time of its inception, its implementation in cases from Eugene Debs to Herbert Yardley, the law’s effect on whistleblowing, America’s burgeoning “secrecy regime,” how the interpretation shifted from the early years of the act’s existence, and more through World War II.
Sam’s book is State of Silence: The Espionage Act and the Rise of America’s Secrecy Regime.

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
Danny and Derek speak with historian Andrew Preston about the origins and development of the American national security state as we know it. They discuss the original meaning of “national security” in the early days of the republic; the idea of free security; the New Deal and the relationship between social security and national security; World War II, the Cold War, and the expansion of the security state; liberalism and American empire; and what national security looks like moving forward.
Be sure to grab a copy of Andrew’s book on the subject, Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security.
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