The Day the Liberals Won

Austere describes the upbringing of Kenneth Boulding. In his words, where he grew up would probably be considered a slum by current standards. His parents were both from working-class families. He never shied away from this characterization. He embraced his family’s working-class roots and was always sympathetic to the struggles of that class. His childhood home at Four Seymour Street was in the middle of Liverpool, England, which, in the early twentieth century, was working-class cosmopolitan. This was endearing in many ways to Boulding. His neighborhood had Jews, Belgians, Irish, and a black family. He believed that this exposure to diversity trained him well for the American melting pot he would enter early in his professional life. There was no doubt why he felt at home in America. It both suited his personality and reminded him of home. Before delving into the specifics on Boulding’s life, it is necessary to better understand his family background—to dig into the roots of his family tree and see what genetic commingling led to his life.