Unfortunately many Americans are ignorant of their own history. That's especially true of our economic history. If this were not so there would be very few that would long for, much advocate, a return to the econoic system of the post-Civil War era. And make no mistake: that's exactly what today's Tea Party a.d libertarian conservatives are advocating. There was a reason for the reforms of the Progressive Era that lead to the New Deal. We would all do well to understand this history before attempting to undo those earlier reforms.