Vigilantism: Political History of Private Power in America : Praeger : 9780275935481 : 0275935485 : 22 Jun 1990 : America does not have a tradition of violence, but it does have a history of violence that can be traced through struggles and popular causes that date from colonial times to the modern era. The psychology of private violence by the American people is deeply ingrained in the concept of popular sovereignty. Repeatedly in American history, the peoples' deep-seated beliefs have led to confrontations and implementations of private will against the state and against groups viewed as harmful to existing values. In Vigilantism, Culberson argues for a clear-cut distinction between domestic terrorism, in which actions are taken that deny progression in the social order, and vigilantism, in which the actors are vigilant in all things social that could do harm to the progressive social order. He maintains not only that vigilantism has been the motivating social force in American polit