Gerald Horne: America At 250 & The Counter-Revolution Of 1776

Gerald Horne: America At 250 & The Counter-Revolution Of 1776 On this episode of Wise The Dome TV, we welcome historian, author, and professor Dr. Gerald Horne for a powerful discussion on the American Revolution, slavery, colonialism, capitalism, and contemporary world affairs. Dr. Horne explains why he views the American Revolution not as a struggle for liberty, but as a counter-revolution led by colonial elites seeking to protect slavery and their economic interests. We discuss the relationship between class conflict and slavery, the influence of enslaved African resistance on colonial decision-making, the significance of the Somerset Decision of 1772, and how abolitionist pressures throughout the Atlantic World helped shape the path to independence. The conversation examines the role of Georgia as a buffer colony for slaveholding South Carolina, the impact of Spanish Florida as a refuge for escaped Africans, the importance of the sugar economy in the development of colonial wealth, and how colonial elites constructed whiteness as a political identity. Dr. Horne also addresses mainstream interpretations of the Revolution, including narratives presented by Ken Burns and claims that the Revolution was a revolt against the wealthy elites of the era. We also discuss Benjamin Franklin's warning that "every slave might be reckoned a domestic enemy," the current excitement surrounding artificial intelligence companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, whether the tech sector is experiencing a speculative bubble, Israel's military actions in Lebanon amid discussions of a possible agreement involving Iran, the concept of vassal states in international politics, and Dr. Horne's forthcoming book on Hawaii. This conversation challenges conventional understandings of American history and explores the connections between slavery, empire, resistance, and the ongoing struggles that continue to shape the modern world. Subscribe to Wise The Dome TV for more conversations on Pan-Africanism, history, politics, economics, and liberation movements from around the globe. #GeraldHorne #AmericanRevolution #Slavery #PanAfricanism #History #Colonialism #Capitalism #AI #OpenAI #Anthropic #Israel #Lebanon #Geopolitics #WiseTheDomeTV