Chapter 11: Huey Generis Summary and Analysis

Chapter 11 is called "Huey Generis," a play on the phrase "sui generis" which means something that is absolutely unique. The "Huey" referred to in the title is Huey Long, a former governor and senator from Louisiana. The authors use Huey Long as an example in their discussion of two different ways that historians approach significant historical figures.

On one side are "great man" theorists, as the authors call them. These historians see significant figures as leaders who change their societies and thereby change the course of history. On the other side are "social determinists" who believe that great leaders are created by their society, not the other way around.

Huey Long was a charismatic young lawyer in Louisiana in the 1920s with political ambitions. He gained a reputation for an easy-going demeanor that made him popular with...