Centrist democratic ideologies and movements Books

Book Synopsis''A panorama of the unravelling world order as riveting as any beach read'' New Yorker''Read this book: in the three hours it takes you will get a new, bracing and brilliant understanding of the dangers we in the democratic West now face. Luce is one of the smartest journalists working today, and his perceptions are priceless'' Jane Mayer, staff writer on the New Yorker''No one was more prescient about the economic malaise and popular resentment that has hit the United States than Ed Luce in his previous book, Time to Start Thinking. His new book, Retreat of Western Liberalism, broadens that picture to cover the Western world. It is a must read for anyone trying to make sense of the waves of populism and nationalism we face today'' Liaquat AhamedIn his widely acclaimed book Time to Start Thinking, Financial Times columnist and commentator Edward Luce charted the course of American economic and geoTrade ReviewNo one was more prescient about the economic malaise and popular resentment that has hit the United States than Ed Luce in his previous book, Time to Start Thinking. His new book, Retreat of Western Liberalism, broadens that picture to cover the Western world. It is a must read for anyone trying to make sense of the waves of populism and nationalism we face today -- Liaquat AhamedEdward Luce provides a terrifying view of the challenges facing the West. We have to hope that his prophecies are self denying - something that is more likely if his penetrating analysis gets the wide attention it richly deserves -- Lawrence SummersA knowledgeable tour through the unmapped terrain in which Western politicians and governments must now operate * The Economist *Luce is at his best writing about America, on which his knowledge is voluminous . . . his writing has a vigour and sweep all too absent in the deadly prose of social scientists; and he has identified a fundamental question facing democracies * Financial Times *Beautifully written * The Times *[A] brisk, pointed and fascinating book . . . is far more than a disappointed liberal's angry tirade. His achievement is to put the rise of antiestablishment populism in a broader global economic context * Literary Review *An illuminating book -- Will Hutton * Observer *[A] brilliant book -- Nick Timothy * Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA prodigiously brilliant thinker who sharply challenged the beliefs of his age, the political and social radical John Stuart Mill was the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century. Regarded as one of the sacred texts of liberalism, his great work On Liberty argues lucidly that any democracy risks becoming a ''tyranny of opinion'' in which minority views are suppressed if they do not conform with those of the majority. Written in the same period as On Liberty, shortly after the death of Mill''s beloved wife and fellow-thinker Harriet, The Subjection of Women stresses the importance of equality for the sexes. Together, the works provide a fascinating testimony to the hopes and anxieties of mid-Victorian England, and offer a compelling consideration of what it truly means to be free.Trade ReviewOn Liberty remains a classic. . . . The present world would be better than it is if [MillÆs] principles were more respected. (Bertrand Russell)

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Book Synopsis*Winner of the 2020 Lionel Gelber Prize*FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST, PROSPECT and EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF THE YEAR PICKA landmark book that completely transforms our understanding of the crisis of liberalism, from two pre-eminent intellectualsWhy did the West, after winning the Cold War, lose its political balance?In the early 1990s, hopes for the eastward spread of liberal democracy were high. And yet the transformation of Eastern European countries gave rise to a bitter repudiation of liberalism itself, not only in the East but also back in the heartland of the West.In this brilliant work of political psychology, Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes argue that the supposed end of history turned out to be only the beginning of an Age of Imitation. Reckoning with the history of the last thirty years, they show that the most powerful force behind the wave of populist xenophobia that began in Eastern Europe stems from resentment at the post-1989 imperative to become Westernized.Through this prism, the Trump revolution represents an ironic fulfillment of the promise that the nations exiting from communist rule would come to resemble the United States. In a strange twist, Trump has elevated Putin''s Russia and Orbán''s Hungary into models for the United States.Written by two pre-eminent intellectuals bridging the East/West divide, The Light that Failed is a landmark book that sheds light on the extraordinary history of our Age of Imitation.Trade ReviewA brilliant, original book on the crisis of modern liberalism. . . a must read to understand our present discontents -- Lionel Barber * Financial Times Books of the Year *If you read one book to understand the state of the world today, make it this one. Aphoristic, counter-intuitive and amusing, a single page provides more insight into populism than libraries of books on Brexit or Trump. . . Extraordinary and compelling. . . Its subject matter is bleak but the deep learning, humour and humanity of its authors shines through -- Mark Leonard * Prospect *A brilliant explanation of the mess we are in. . . written with wonderfully dry wit * Evening Standard Books of the Year *An important book that fizzes with ideas. . . There is a smart insight or elegant paradox on almost every page. . . This book poses in stark terms the dilemma for those who took for granted the ideas that created the postwar western world * Sunday Times *Sharp, polemical and ideas-packed * Economist *Compelling and witty * Prospect Books of the Year *An unflinchingly honest explanation of what has gone wrong in the west - and the east - since 1989 * Financial Times *A bracing analysis of post-Cold War politics, upending cherished assumptions and forcing us to look afresh at the complex dialectic of liberalism and illiberalism -- George SorosThis is a book about imitation by a couple of utterly inimitable authors. It is the most original explanation I've read of the self-destruction of the liberal West as universal utopia. Scathing yet fair -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is PossibleWitty, incisive, devastating: an unforgettable analysis of why the light of liberalism failed in Eastern Europe, and why resentment towards imitation of the West has fueled the furies of the populist revolt -- Michael Ignatieff, President of Central European University, Budapest

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Book SynopsisA GUARDIAN, NEW STATESMAN AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR ''A whodunnit political page-turner'' Melissa Benn, New Statesman ''The best political book I have read for a long while'' Rod Liddle, The Spectator From the No.1 bestselling author of The Establishment, an urgent analysis of where the Left - and Britain - goes nextWe live in an age of upheaval. The global crisis of Covid-19 has laid bare the deep social and economic inequalities which were the toxic legacy of austerity. These revolutionary times are an opportunity for a radical rethink of Britain as we know it, as the politically impossible suddenly becomes imaginable. And yet, the Left''s last attempt to upend the established order and transform millions of lives came to a crashing halt on 12th December 2019, when Jeremy Corbyn led the Labour party to its worst electoral defeat since 1935. In This Land, Owen Jones provides an insider''s honest and unflinching appraisal of a movement: how it promised to change everything, why it went so badly wrong, where this failure leaves its values and ideas, and where the Left goes next in the new world we find ourselves in.He takes us on a compelling, page-turning journey through a tumultuous decade in British politics, gaining unprecedented access to key figures across the political spectrum. It is a tale of high hopes and hubris, dysfunction and disillusionment. There is, Jones urges, no future for any progressive project that does not face up to and learn from its errors. We have the opportunity to build a fairer country and a more equal world, but if our time is to come, then we must learn from our past.''An absorbing, nuanced account of the making of electoral disaster'' Gaby Hinsliff, Guardian Trade ReviewOwen Jones has managed to produce a whodunnit political page-turner and a surprisingly fair account (given that Jones was a player in the Corbyn project) of both an inspiring and tortuous period of Labour history. -- Melissa Benn * New Statesman *An absorbing, nuanced account of the making of electoral disaster. -- Gaby Hinsliff * Guardian *Very, very powerful ... you will not come away from reading This Land without your understanding of what happened to the Labour Party over the last five years massively enhanced. -- James O'BrienFor Owen Jones, the drama of these years is almost Shakespearean... Where Jones is strongest, and impressively so, is when he turns his analytical gaze on his own side. His dissection of the anti-Semitism issue is heartfelt and intelligent. His account of the infighting and weakness of the leader's team rings true... He correctly observes that Brexit left Labour on a hook. -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *Jones has [a hard] task: to assess the failure of a project he championed, in which he was a significant player, and which depended on the work and was damaged by the flaws of people he is close to. It is a far more honest account of those difficulties than is ever given by journalists of the political centre, or the right ... Jones has made a serious attempt to understand the left's weaknesses as something other than the fault of the party's right ... Jones is making a brutal assessment, of the sort too often lacking in the past few years, of what is possible. -- James Butler * London Review of Books *Owen Jones is a phenomenon of our time * The Times Literary Supplement *The best political book I have read for a long while, all the better for Jones's unashamed participant observation. -- Rod Liddle * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThis is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read on Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.Across Europe, people are deeply concerned about the state of democracy. The Rise and Fall of the People''s Parties shifts the attention away from ever-changing populist politicians that capture newspaper headlines to the centre-left and centre-right people''s parties that used to buttress the democratic order over the past decades, but which are now in steep decline. Why does the crisis of these parties contribute so profoundly to today''s crisis of democracy? And why were these parties so important for the stabilization and legitimation of democracy in the past century in the first place?By providing a long-term and transnational account of the history of democracy in modern Europe, The Rise and Fall of the People''s Parties reveals the striking parallels between the hist

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Book SynopsisThat government is best which governs least. -- Henry David Thoreau In this major new defense of libertarianism, Dan Moller argues that critics and supporters alike have neglected the strongest arguments for the theory. It is often assumed that libertarianism depends on thinking that property rights are absolute, or on fetishizing individual liberty. Moller argues that, on the contrary, the foundations of libertarianism lie in widely shared, everyday moral beliefs -- particularly in restrictions on shifting our burdens onto others. The core of libertarianism, on this New England interpretation, is not an exaggerated sense of our rights against other people, but modesty about what we can demand from them. Moller then connects these philosophical arguments with related work in economics, history, and politics. The result is a wide-ranging discussion in the classical liberal tradition that defies narrow academic specialization. Among the questions Moller addresses are how to think aboutTrade ReviewThis is a masterful work. It may even be a masterpiece. It does everything and does it well. It should be read right up alongside Rawls's theory of justice, and if this books fails to radically change the conversation in political philosophy, that would amount to a condemnation of the field, not the book. Moller has produced a comprehensive defense of classical liberal thought, one that deftly integrates ideas from ethics, political theory, metaethics, epistemology, metaphysics, sociology, economics, and history. He understands the critics' arguments better than they do, and has powerful and often decisive answers to all of their concerns. The book defends classical liberal ideas, but it is not ideological. Orthodox libertarians will find plenty of deep and difficult challenges to their own positions ... This is a great and important book. * Jason Brennan, Georgetown University, *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Property Part II: Markets Part III: History Part IV: Theory and Practice Appendices Appendix A: Utilitarianism as Self-deception Appendix B: Victim-blaming and Moral Modus Tollens Works Cited

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Book Synopsis`An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot . . . it will march on the horizon of the world and it will conquer.'' Thomas Paine was the first international revolutionary. His Common Sense (1776) was the most widely read pamphlet of the American Revolution; his Rights of Man (1791-2) was the most famous defence of the French Revolution and sent out a clarion call for revolution throughout the world. He paid the price for his principles: he was outlawed in Britain, narrowly escaped execution in France, and was villified as an atheist and a Jacobin on his return to America. Paine loathed the unnatural inequalities fostered by the hereditary and monarchical systems. He believed that government must be by and for the people and must limit itself to the protection of their natural rights. But he was not a libertarian: from a commitment to natural rights he generated one of the first blueprints for a welfare state, combining a liberal order of civil rights with egalitarian constraints. This collection brings together Paine''s most powerful political writings from the American and French revolutions in the first fully annotated edition of these works. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade Review'OUP's excellent series continues with a collection from the Christopher Hitchens de ses jours.' GuardianTable of ContentsCommon Sense ; American Crisis 1 ; American Crisis X111 ; Letters to Jefferson ; Rights of Man ; Rights of Man. Part the Second ; Letter Addressed to the Addressers on the Late Proclamation ; Dissertation on the First Principles of Government ; Agrarian Justice

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Book SynopsisThis volume unites, for the first time, Books IV and V of Mill''s great treatise on political economy with his fragmentary chapters on socialism. It shows him applying his classical economic theory to policy questions of abiding concern, particularly the desirability of sustained growth of national wealth and population versus a stationary state, the merits of capitalism versus socialism, and the expedient scope of government intervention in the competitive market economy. His answers to those questions have considerable relevance today, and they serve to illustrate the enduring power and imagination of his distinctive liberal utilitarian philosophy. In his introduction, Jonathan Riley clarifies Mill''s approach, considers what constitutes the Millian Utopia, and shows how examination of such an ideal society provides valuable insights into the structure of his philosophy. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature

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Book SynopsisIn the popular imagination, Islam is often associated with words like oppression, totalitarianism, intolerance, cruelty, misogyny, and homophobia, while its presumed antonyms are Christianity, the West, liberalism, individualism, freedom, citizenship, and democracy. In the most alarmist views, the West's most cherished valuesfreedom, equality, and toleranceare said to be endangered by Islam worldwide. Joseph Massad'sIslam in Liberalismexplores what Islam has become in today's world, with full attention to the multiplication of its meanings and interpretations. He seeks to understand how anxieties about tyranny, intolerance, misogyny, and homophobia, seen in the politics of the Middle East, are projected onto Islam itself. Massad shows that through this projection Europe emerges as democratic and tolerant, feminist, and pro-LGBT rightsor, in short, Islam-free. Massad documents the Christian and liberal idea that we should missionize democracy, women's rights, sexual rights, tolerance,

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Book SynopsisTim Farron’s account of his involvement in the turbulent politics of recent years offers a wealth of insight into life at the top of a major political party and the prospects for true liberalism in Britain today.Trade Review‘Tim Farron tells a fascinating story of family, football, faith, music and politics. It is a story about private and public, highs and lows, passion, pressure and pain . . . Many of us can learn from this book. I am certain that, with gratitude, many will.’ * Sir Simon Hughes, former Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties, 2013–15 *‘Those who know Tim Farron personally will not be surprised by this book. They know his anger at injustice and his generosity of spirit at first hand. I would recommend this book to anyone who knows him only from headlines. You may not agree with everything he says, but you will be a whole lot wiser.’ * Andy Flannagan, Executive Director, Christians in Politics *‘Tim Farron knows better than anyone the stresses and challenges of leading a party in the febrile politics of our time. But this is not a conventional political biography. It reveals in frank and courageous detail the acute conflict between political loyalty and religious commitment.’ * Sir Menzies Campbell, Former Leader of the Liberal Democrats *‘A provocative read for many in politics who would rather all politicians thought the same.’ * Isabel Hardman, Assistant Editor, The Spectator *‘Refreshingly frank, humble, faithful and full of grace.’ * David Burrowes, former Conservative MP for Enfield Southgate *

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Book SynopsisA rediscovery of patriotism as a virtue in line with the core values of democracy in an extremist ageTrade Review“Smith superbly illuminates the distinctiveness of the American idea of patriotism and reminds us of how important patriotism is, and how essential to making America better.”—Leslie Lenkowsky, Wall Street Journal“Like you perhaps, I still regard myself as an extremely patriotic person. Which is why I so admired . . . Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes. It explained my emotion to me, as it might yours to you.”—David Brooks, New York Times“Smith has drawn intelligent distinctions. . . . [His] book will help prevent patriotism from fading to something only dimly remembered.” —George Will, Washington Post“It’s a brave man who takes on the vital and necessary task of defining and defending patriotism from the left. Professor Steven Smith rises to the challenge, making a nuanced but forceful case in concise and compelling prose.”—Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World“Steven B. Smith brings a wonderful blend of learning and lucidity to the most important question of the day: What does it mean to be American? At a time when Trumpian conservatives have revived the ethno-nationalism that runs like a dark stain throughout our history, and when many progressives regard the nation’s founding principles as little more than hypocrisies, Smith’s appeal to a patriotism of liberalism is as refreshing as it is vital.”—Robert Kagan, author of The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World“In contrast to those who see only a choice between xenophobic nationalism or radical anti-Americanism, Steven B. Smith shows how American patriotism can be a partnership in pursuit of a more perfect union. A valuable book that blends cosmopolitan learning with a deep understanding of what is best in America.”—Rogers Smith, author of That Is Not Who We Are! Populism and Peoplehood“Steven Smith decouples patriotism from nationalism and reclaims a viable conception of patriotism from its critics on the left and right. Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes is a clearly written, historically informed, and utterly necessary book for our troubled times.”—William A. Galston, Brookings Institution

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Book SynopsisOne of America’s most distinguished political theorists examines what happens when national politics enters a small New England townTrade Review“Through this subtle and compellingly Tocquevillian account of governing small-town America, Kahn shows us the challenge in rebuilding a democracy in America generally. He forces us to see what we like to avoid. And in so doing, he helps us understand something critical about the challenges that we face.”—Lawrence Lessig, author of America, Compromised“Through an intimate account of community life in one New England town—his town—Paul Kahn, one of our finest political thinkers, has produced a profound mediation on the practices and bonds on which democratic self-government depends.”—Benjamin L. Berger, author of Law’s Religion: Religious Difference and the Claims of Constitutionalism “Paul Kahn is one of America’s most interesting thinkers and Democracy in Our America is just the latest proof of that. It offers a compelling account of political life in one town and the unfolding national political life that shapes and transforms it. This book provides nuanced treatment of contemporary concerns filtered through the prism of a wise person and a gifted writer.”—Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence & Political Science, Amherst College

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Book SynopsisA testament to what it means to be liberal by one of the most prominent political philosophers of our eraTrade Review“Walzer is perhaps our foremost pilot on these rocky shoals. In his preface, he writes that this may be his last book. One hopes not.”—James Traub, New York Times“[A] superb testimony to a lifelong struggle for a decent politics.”—Mario Clemens, LSE Review of Books“This little book by one of the most eminent thinkers of our time contains more political wisdom and moral decency than shelves of tomes on liberalism and its discontents. There is no better defender or critic of our ‘seriously imperfect liberal democracy’ than Michael Walzer.”—Michael Kazin, author of What It Took to Win“The Struggle for a Decent Politics is one of those books that we may come to think of as making the case for liberalism at its best. There are many distinguished predecessors in this list, from J. S. Mill’s On Liberty to Lionel Trilling’s Liberal Imagination to Isaiah Berlin’s Two Concepts of Liberty. It would not surprise me if one day we thought of Michael Walzer’s book in this company. It deserves to be.”—Steven B. Smith, author of Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes“In this remarkable, deeply personal book, Michael Walzer melds political theory and un-elegiac memoir to trace the perennial struggle between liberalism and its enemies, a struggle that flashes in every facet of his political life—and ours. Walzer’s lifetime of learning and reflection has yielded an undimmed spirit of defiance, not just of brutal injustice but of the cults of true doctrine that injustice inspires. We’ve never needed that spirit more than now.”—Sean Wilentz, author of The Rise of American Democracy“Michael Walzer’s new book is a departure—it’s his most personal work yet—and, also, a continuation of the themes he’s developed so incisively for over four decades. This is a sometimes surprising, always illuminating look at key political concepts you may think you know (but don’t).The Struggle for a Decent Politics reminds us of what is worth fighting for, and of what can be lost.”—Susie Linfield, author of The Lions’ Den: Zionism and the Left from Hannah Arendt to Noam Chomsky

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This City Belongs to You deserves attention from a broad audience.... This book shows that it some ways, Guatemala City was ahead of the curve of world events like the student protests of 1968, forcing us to reconsider some well-established narratives about who and what inspired the radical movements of the 1960s. Guatemala and its capital city have a lot to tell us about the forces that have shaped the contemporary world.... It is a history relevant to us all." * H-Net *"Heather Vrana’s This City Belongs to You: A History ofStudent Activism in Guatemala, 1944–1996 is the first English-language history of student politics in Guatemala and joins a new wave of scholarship on Guatemala City. ... this is an invaluable, timely, and engaging book that will significantly broaden our thinking about students—especially given its astute attention to how student nationalism changed—and about the making of the middle class, both in Guatemala and elsewhere." * Hispanic American Historical Review *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction: “Do Not Mess with Us!” 1 • The Republic of Students, 1942–1952 2 • Showcase for Democracy, 1953–1957 3 • A Manner of Feeling, 1958–1962 4 • Go Forth and Teach All, 1963–1977 5 • Combatants for the Common Cause, 1976–1978 6 • Student Nationalism without a Government, 1977–1980 Coda: “Ahí van los estudiantes!” 1980–Present Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisLiberalism is a critically important topic in the contemporary world as liberal values and institutions are in retreat in countries where they seemed relatively secure. Lucidly written and accessible, this book offers an important yet neglected Russian aspect to the history of political liberalism. Vanessa Rampton examines Russian engagement with liberal ideas during Russia''s long nineteenth century, focusing on the high point of Russian liberalism from 1900 to 1914. It was then that a self-consciously liberal movement took shape, followed by the founding of the country''s first liberal (Constitutional-Democratic or Kadet) party in 1905. For a brief, revelatory period, some Russians - an eclectic group of academics, politicians and public figures - drew on liberal ideas of Western origin to articulate a distinctively Russian liberal philosophy, shape their country''s political landscape, and were themselves partly responsible for the tragic experience of 1905.Trade Review'Historian of ideas Rampton (McGill Univ.) has written a book that provides a surprisingly clear and cogent introduction to liberal ideas and writing in the final third of the Romanov dynasty.' J. C. Sandstrom, Choice'… the book contains much fascinating detail that tells us a great deal about intellectual culture in turn-of-the-century Russia, and as such, I would consider the book to be a … rewarding read.' Stefan Kirmse, H-Soz-KultTable of ContentsIntroduction: conceptions of liberalism in Imperial Russia; 1. Inside out: freedom, rights and the idea of progress in nineteenth-century Russia; 2. Progress, contested: positivist and neo-idealist liberalism; 3. Freedom, differently: liberalism in 1905 and its aftermath; 4. Liberalism undone: the loss of cohesion on the eve of 1917; 5. Conversations with Western ideas I: conflict between values; 6. Conversations with Western ideas II: progress and freedom; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisTraversing much of Central, Southern and Eastern Europe, this new collection offers a fresh understanding of the seemingly paradoxical nexus between liberal Europeans and imperialism during the long nineteenth century. Bringing together leading scholars from the disciplines of history, anthropology, sociology and political science, it redefines the contours of research into European history by illustrating that it was not only the liberal politicians, writers and civic leaders of Britain and France who believed that empires could be vehicles for progress.Table of ContentsParticular or Universal?: Historicising Liberal Approaches to Empire in Europe. Matthew P. Fitzpatrick Imperialism after the Great Wave: The Dutch Case in the Netherlands East Indies, 1860-1914—Elsbeth Locher-Scholten Italy, Liberalism and the Age of Empire—Giuseppi Finaldi Russian Liberalism and the Problem of Imperial Diversity—Alexander Semyonov Liberty, Equality and Nationality: National Liberalism, Modernization and Empire in Hungary in the 19th Century—László Kürti From Independence to Trialism: The Croatian Party of Right and the Project for a Liberal 'Greater Croatia' within the Habsburg Empire, 1861-1914—Nevenko Bartulin Between Völkisch and Universal Visions of Empire: Liberal Imperialism in Mitteleuropa 1890-1918—Eric Kurlander An Empire of Scientific Experts: Polish Physicians and the Medicalization of the German Borderlands, 1880-1914—Lenny A. Ureña Valerio The Ottoman Empire's Negotiation of Western Liberal Imperialism—Fatma Müge-Göçek and Murat Özyüksel British and Greek Liberalism and Imperialism in the Long Nineteenth Century—Andrekos Varnava

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“American Carnage is not a conventional Trump-era book. It is less about the daily mayhem in the White House than about the unprecedented capitulation of a political party. This book will endure for helping us understand not what is happening but why it happened….[an] indispensable work.” — Carlos Lozada, Washington Post “A masterful must-read. Alberta has written a compelling, alarming and scoop-heavy history of the fall of the party of Lincoln. American Carnage is filled with scoop. It is an exercise in a pulling back the curtain, not breathlessness.” — The Guardian “A fascinating look at a Republican Party that initially scoffed at the incursion of a philandering reality-TV star with zero political experience and now readily accommodates him. [Alberta] brings more than a decade of reporting and a real understanding of the conservative movement to American Carnage.” — New York Times Book Review “Alberta offers something more ambitious than a tale of palace intrigue.... The abiding theme of the book is that almost every influential figure in the Party has come to accept or submit to the President. Although Alberta is clearly not an admirer of the President, he is not unsympathetic to the voters who have embraced him and their feelings of resentment toward what they see as an increasingly liberal culture.” — The New Yorker “One of the deepest and most fascinating reads about the transformation of the Republican Party over the last 15 or so years.” — Politico “Mandatory reading for anyone who genuinely desires to know how we got to this point. It’s not a shooting civil war within the GOP or within the country at large. It’s not even 1968 or remotely close to the divisions that cleaved the nation during the Vietnam War and Watergate. But it is a serious divide.” — Washington Post “Alberta argues that Trump won the presidency by channeling anxious Americans’ indignation and darker impulses. Trump’s challenge now, Alberta writes, is to turn a “freakish if not fluky” victory into a transformational redefinition of the GOP.” — Axios “Now comes Tim Alberta, one of the best political reporters we have, especially on the internecine bloodletting on the political right, with a new book that details not only how the president stomped to the Republican nomination, but also the sordid calculations that allowed the GOP to make its peace with him.” — Esquire “American Carnage isn’t an all-about-Trump book. It’s a book that reaches into the depths of the Republican Party and their relationship with the president.” — USA Today “In this new book, American Carnage, by Tim Alberta, we are reminded about how so many who staked their reputation on principle caved to political convenience in this administration.” — CNN “An eyes-wide-open analysis of right-wing populism.” — New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice “A deeply reported account of internal Republican deliberations over the past decade. Alberta is admirably merciless as he shows his subjects abandoning their putative principles and falling in line behind Trump. (And the reporting is truly impressive — the scenes he reconstructs are both far more numerous and far more interesting than those in almost any “behind-the-scenes” reported political book I can recall.)” — New York “An excellent book where Alberta uses the depth of his reporting to really bring the receipts and show the extent to which, until [Trump] beat Hillary Clinton, many of the people who are now his most loyal allies were deeply skeptical of his fitness for office.” — Vox “Drawing on extensive interviews with politicians and pundits, Alberta’s engrossing narrative is full of sharp intrigues and vivid personalities....Incorporating trenchant analysis and a wealth of detail in stylish prose, Alberta highlights the broad currents beneath the chaos of recent politics.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Alberta brings the receipts, and if nothing else, it’s a helluva portrait of how principles are traded for power.” — The Ezra Klein Show, Vox “In American Carnage, his fascinating and exhaustive account of the path of the Republican Party in the past decade, Tim Alberta of Politico explains how the party’s leadership got so out of touch with its voters at the end of George W. Bush’s administration and in the early years of Barack Obama’s.” — Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisSan Francisco and other West Coast cities — Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland — had gone beyond merely tolerating homelessness, drug dealing, and crime to actively enabling them.San Fransicko reveals that the underlying problem isn’t a lack of housing or money for social programs.Trade Review“San Fransicko is outstanding. Michael Shellenberger pries loose the truth about homelessness and housing in America in this myth-shattering book — and proposes tested, humane alternatives that work.” — Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb "San Fransicko is a lucid lesson in how self-serving ideological fads yank progressivism into a ditch, creating misery in the name of enlightenment. Shellenberger shows us one of the keys to running a city: knowing the difference between virtue signaling and getting results." — John McWhorter, linguist, writer for The Atlantic and The New York Times, and associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University "Civilized urban life is a precious accomplishment — difficult to achieve and easy to squander. In this humane and reasoned book, Michael Shellenberger diagnoses the mistakes progressives made and maps out a practical, evidence-based path to improvement.” — Steven Pinker, author, Enlightenment Now, and Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University "In his compassionate, pragmatic, and truly indispensable book, Michael Shellenberger takes on the devastation of the urban environment. The sprawl of chaotic tent encampments populated by psychotic and addicted people is a daunting problem — one that too many progressive authorities don’t know how to solve. Or, worse, don’t really want to. Shellenberger lays out a humane blueprint to help the suffering, revive the cities, and restore civic order.” — Sally Satel, M.D., Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, and Lecturer, Yale University School of Medicine. “In this compelling and well-written book, Shellenberger challenges many long-held shibboleths about how we think about cities and social policy. Required reading for us liberals as we try to reimagine what cities should do, look like and whose interests they should serve.” — Dalton Conley, Henry Putnam University Professor of Sociology, Princeton University “What explains the shocking breakdown of public order in many of America’s leading cities? Michael Shellenberger, with the erudition and iconoclasm he is known for, shows how catastrophe can result when good intentions are combined with bad ideas. San Fransicko is devastating.” — Michael Lind, author of The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite “San Fransicko peels back layers of “progressive” rhetoric with peer reviewed science and data to show that the vast majority of California’s unsheltered residents suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, and complex medical conditions, that cannot be solved by a key to a hotel room or higher cash stipends. Fierce bullies who make a living “protecting” the homeless status quo are the villains of this catastrophe, enabled by the feckless electeds and hippie nostalgia of Baby Boomers. Enough.” — Jennifer Hernandez, civil rights lawyer

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewTim is a supremely gifted storyteller who writes with brutal honesty and stylish gallows humor about the GOP’s toxic mix of opportunists, joy riders, and grifters who enabled Donald Trump’s rise and guaranteed his enduring grip on the Republican Party. Tim takes a scalpel to the malignant tumor smothering American democracy by dissecting his own friends and onetime colleagues. The most valuable contribution of Tim’s book may be the anthropological examination of just how little separates a ‘normal’ Republican from an activist working to overthrow a free and fair presidential election. — Nicolle Wallace Tim’s smart and witty takes on the current madness of our political times has been my balm of Gilead. In this book, Tim examines what makes some people abandon their principles to align with the current center of power and what makes others hold fast to their convictions in spite of finding themselves suddenly on the outs. As a former Republican partisan, Tim breaks it all down in precise bombs of truth and keen insight into some of the more awful truths of human nature when it comes to the allure of power. — Jane Lynch Mea culpa and tell-all, Tim Miller’s Why We Did It reveals why and how a generation of Republican politicos bent the knee to a president so many of them privately feared and despised. — David Frum From any dark experience springs something hopeful and good. In the Trump years, that bright side has been Tim and his compatriots who took up arms to fight the MAGA scourge. Before this book, I understood why the crazies and kooks went along with Trump, but now I fully grasp why smart, supposedly ‘normal’ Republicans did, too. Tim’s observations are clear-eyed, wise, brutally honest, and darkly hilarious. Everyone should read this book, especially fellow Democrats who want to better understand our political foes. — James Carville When the history of this era is written, the dominant question will likely be, How did this happen? Tim Miller’s Why We Did It offers a crucial insider’s answer to that question. It’s a must-read report from the belly of the beast detailing how the unimaginable becomes inevitable. Looking back at a career in politics and being horrified at what you were part of is not the most fun exercise in life. Tim examines his role with clear honesty, sadness, and an amusing sense of the absurd. This is a big, important book. Read it. — Stuart Stevens

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Christopher Rufo is in fact one of the most effective journalists and filmmakers in the country.” — Tucker Carlson “Christopher Rufo … has done more than anybody else in our country on exposing CRT.” — Governor Ron DeSantis “The most important and effective conservative activist in the country.” — Bari Weiss “International-class troublemaker and policy advisor on the culture war.” — Dr. Jordan Peterson “One of the most important journalists in the country.” — Ben Shapiro “Christopher Rufo has had an extremely significant impact on our political discourse.” — Glenn Greenwald “The country’s pre-eminent critic of critical race theory.” — The New York Times “The most important intellectual entrepreneur on the political right today.” — Vox “One of the most gifted conservative polemicists of his generation.” — The Atlantic

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Book SynopsisA Wall Street cartel has quietly seized control of the American economy, and they are forcing governments and businesses to bow down to their political agenda—using your money to do it.Three Wall Street firms have quietly amassed more money than Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Andrew Carnegie, and John Rockefeller combined.

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Book SynopsisRevises the ideas of justice as fairness that John Rawls presented in "A Theory of Justice" but changes its philosophical interpretation in a fundamental way.Table of ContentsIntroduction Introduction to the Paperback Edition Part I. Political Liberalism: Basic Elements Lecture I. Fundamental Ideas Addressing Two Fundamental Questions The Idea of a Political Conception of Justice The Idea of Society as a Fair System of Cooperation The Idea of the Original Position The Political Conception of the Person The Idea of a Well-Ordered Society Neither a Community nor an Association The Use of Abstract Conceptions Lecture II. The Powers of Citizens and Their Representation The Reasonable and the Rational The Burdens of Judgement Reasonable Comprehensive Doctrines The Publicity Condition: Its Three Levels Rational Autonomy: Artificial not Political Full Autonomy: Political not Ethical The Basis of Motivation in the Person Moral Psychology: Philosophical not Psychological Lecture III. Political Constructivism The Idea of a Constructivist Conception Kant's Moral Constructivism Justice as Fairness as a Constructivist View The Role of Conceptions of Society and Person Three Conceptions of Objectivity Objectivity Independent of the Casual View of Knowledge When Do Objective Reasons Exist, Politically Speaking? The Scope of Political Constructivism Part II. Political Liberalism: Three Main Ideas Lecture IV. The Idea of an Overlapping Consensus How is Political Liberalism Possible? The Question of Stability Three Features of an Overlapping Consensus An Overlapping Consensus not Indifferent or Skeptical A Political Conception Need Not Be Comprehensive Steps to Constitutional Consensus Steps to Overlapping Consensus Conception and Doctrines: How Related Lecture V. Priority of Right and Ideas of the Good How a Political Conception Limits Conceptions of the Good Goodness as Rationality Primary Goods and Interpersonal Comparisons Primary Goods as Citizens' Need Permissible Conceptions of the Good and Political Virtues Is Justice as Fairness Fair to Conceptions of the Good? The Good of Political Society That Justice as Fairness is Complete Lecture VI. The Idea of Public Reason The Question and Forums of Public Right Public Reason and the Ideal of Democratic Citizenship Nonpublic Reasons The Content of Public Reason The Ideal of Constitutional Essentials The Supreme Court as Exemplar of Public Reason Apparent Difficulties with Public Reason The Limits of Public Reason Part III. Institutional Framework Lecture VII.The Basic Structure as Subject First Subject of Justice Unity by Appropriate Sequence Libertarianism Has No Special Role for the Basic Structure The Importance of Background Justice How the Basic Structure Affects Individuals Initial Agreement as Hypothetical and Nonhistorical Special Features of the Initial Agreement The Social Nature of Human Relationships Ideal Form for the Basic Structure Reply to Hegel's Criticism Lecture VIII. The Basic Liberties and Their Priority The Initial Aim of Justice as Fairness The Special Status of Basic Liberties Conceptions of Person and Social Cooperation The Original Position Priority of Liberties, I: Second Moral Power Priority of Liberties, II: First Moral Power Basic Liberties not Merely Formal A Fully Adequate Scheme of Basic Liberties How Liberties Fit into One Coherent Scheme Free Political Speech The Clear and Present Danger Rule Maintaining the Fair Value of Political Liberties Liberties Connected with the Second Principle The Role of Justice as Fairness Lecture IX. Reply to Habermas Two Main Differences Overlapping Consensus and Justification Liberties of the Moderns Versus the Will of the People The Roots of the Liberties Procedural Versus Substantive Justice Conclusion

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Book SynopsisBased on archival research and interviews with leading participants in the movement, this book traces the ascendancy of neoliberalism from the academy of interwar Europe to supremacy under Reagan and Thatcher and in the decades since. It argues that there was nothing inevitable about the victory of free-market politics.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2014 Presidents' Book Award, Western Social Science Association Shortlisted for the 2012 Gladstone Prize, Royal Historical Society "[I]ntelligent."--Kenneth Minogue, Wall Street Journal "In impressive fashion, Jones analyzes the impact of free market economics and deregulation on political leaders in Washington, D.C., and London since the 1970s... [A]nyone intrigued by the intersection of economic theory and political affairs will appreciate this learned, detailed book."--Publishers Weekly "Mr. Stedman Jones offers a novel and comprehensive history of neoliberalism. It is tarred neither by a reverence for the heroes, nor by caricature, for he is a fair and nuanced writer. This is a bold biography of a great idea."--Economist "Clearly written and relevant to a wide audience."--Daniel Ben-Ami, Financial Times Wealth "Jones gives us the best kind of intellectual history, showing the interplay of ideas, ideology and nascent political movements. The book should be lauded for illustrating that the history of ideas is not straightforward, and a big idea can be bent towards something that its originators might not have imagined."--Joel Campbell, International Affairs "A cerebral, pertinent exegesis on the thinking behind the rise of the New Right... [A] valuable study that helps flesh out the caricature of conservatives as only believing 'greed is good.'"--Kirkus Reviews "[A] good read... The deep history of neo-liberal thought is fascinating."--Andrew Hilton, Financial World "[I]mportant... [A] beguilingly erudite old-fashioned read."--Stephen Matchett, Australian "Stedman Jones ... describes the scene with remarkable accuracy, including its financial underpinning and its ties with conservatism."--Karen Horn, Standpoint "[A] lucid, richly detailed examination of the evolution of the free market ideology since the end of World War II."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Masters of the Universe is a firm brief for the independent, causal power of ideas to shape history... [It] does much to help explain the aftermath of 2008 and the ways in which political responses that might have defined another era seem unthinkable in ours."--Jennifer Burns, American Prospect "His lengthy exposition of the views shared by these outstanding economists might encourage many to pay attention to their works."--Alejandro Chafuen, Forbes "This is a timely history of the Anglo-American love affair with the market and the origins of the current economic crisis."--Keith Richmond, Tribune (U.K.) "[T]his is an insightful, substantive historical account of the Anglo-American political economy underpinning the conservative economic agendas of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations."--Choice "Fascinating, important, and timely, this is a book for anyone who wants to understand the history behind the Anglo-American love affair with the free market, as well as the origins of the current economic crisis."--World Book Industry "The book as a whole ... offers a balanced, well-structured and highly readable account of neo-liberalism's history which will serve both students and scholars as an introduction to this controversial line of economic thought."--Claudia Franziska Bruhwiler, Political Studies Review "This is a very important book... [T]he book is essential reading, both to know the history of neo-liberalism and to understand how it impacted on both Labour and Democrat administrations as well as those of the Reaganite and Thatcherite right."--Duncan Bowie, Chartist "Jones provides a balanced and even-handed account of the ideas and events. He does not shy away from contemporary critiques by leading economists and opponents of Neoliberal ideas."--Braham Dabscheck, Labour History "Jones brilliantly succeeds, thanks to his obvious mastery of the main neoliberal texts, his very astute use of historical archives (like the Hayek or Friedman Papers), and the many interviews he conducted with key neoliberal players in Europe and America."--Francoise Coste, Cercles "Masters of the Universe is an excellent and important book. It is very clearly structured, accessible, well-written, and rigorously argued. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the rise and spread of neoliberal ideas... [I]t will be a great source for both non-specialists interested in neoliberalism and scholars working on neoliberalism."--Lars Cornelissen, Plurilogue "[A] terrific book."--Enlightened Economist "Masters of the Universe does a masterful job telling one of the most important intellectual and policymaking stories of the twentieth century."--John L. Campbell, Historian "Jones provides a readable and laudable account of the history of neoliberalism and its political ascendancy. Besides containing the potential for a good documentary... His book also showcases heretofore unacknowledged archival material and scholarly synthesis. I recommend this book to not only historians of economics, but all policy historians and political theorists who are interested in the postwar history of the New Right."--Robert Van Horn, History of Economic IdeasTable of ContentsPreface to the paperback edition ix Acknowledgments xiii Timeline xv List of Abbreviations xvii Introduction 1 The Three Phases of Neoliberalism 6 Neoliberalism and History 10 Transatlantic Neoliberal Politics 15 1.The Postwar Settlement 21 2.The 1940s: The Emergence of the Neoliberal Critique 30 Karl Popper and "The Open Society" 37 Ludwig von Mises and "Bureaucracy" 49 Friedrich Hayek and "The Road to Serfdom" 57 The Mont Pelerin Society and "The Intellectuals and Socialism" 73 3.The Rising Tide: Neoliberal Ideas in the Postwar Period 85 The Two Chicago Schools: Henry Simons, Milton Friedman, and Neoliberalism 89 The Enlightenment, Adam Smith and Neoliberalism 100 Economic and Political Freedom: Milton Friedman and Cold War Neoliberalism 111 The German Economic Miracle: Neoliberalism and the Soziale Marktwirtschaft 121 Regulatory Capture, Public Choice, and Rational Choice Theory 126 4.A Transatlantic Network: Think Tanks and the Ideological Entrepreneurs 134 The United States in the 1950s: Fusionism and the Cold War 138 British Conservatism in the 1950s 147 Neoliberal Organization in the 1950s and 1960s 152 The Second Wave: Free Market Think Tanks in the 1970s 161 Neoliberal Journalists and Politicians 173 Breakthrough? 178 5.Keynesianism and the Emergence of Monetarism, 1945-71 180 Keynes and Keynesianism 182 "A Little Local Difficulty": Enoch Powell's Monetarism 190 American Economic Policy in the 1960s 197 Milton Friedman's Monetarism 201 The Gathering Storm 212 6.Economic Strategy: The Neoliberal Breakthrough, 1971-84 215 The Slow Collapse of the Postwar Boom, 1964-71 217 Stagflation and Wage and Price Policies 225 The Heath Interregnum and the Neoliberal Alternative 230 The Left Turns to Monetarism, 1: Callaghan, Healey, and the IMF Crisis 241 The Left Turns to Monetarism, 2: Jimmy Carter and Paul Volcker's Federal Reserve 247 Thatcherite Economic Strategy 254 Reaganomics 263 Conclusion 269 7.Neoliberalism Applied? The Transformation of Affordable Housing and Urban Policy in the United States and Britain, 1945-2000 273 Postwar Low-Income Housing and Urban Policy in the United States 278 Postwar Low-Income Housing and Urban Policy in Britain 288 Jimmy Carter and the Limits of Government 295 Property-Owning Democracy and Individual Freedom: Housing and Neoliberal Ideas 297 The Reagan Administration 304 Council House Privatization: The Right to Buy Scheme 308 Transatlantic Transmissions: Reagan's Enterprise Zones 315 Hope VI, Urban Regeneration, and the Third Way 321 Conclusion 325 Conclusion The Legacy of Transatlantic Neoliberalism: Faith-Based Policy 329 Parallelisms: The Place of Transatlantic Neoliberal Politics in History 333 The Apotheosis of Neoliberalism? 338 Reason-Based Policymaking 343 Notes 347 Index 391

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the S-USIH Book Prize, Society for U.S. Intellectual History""Winner of the Merle Curti Intellectual History Award, Organization of American Historians""Shortlisted for the RHS Gladstone Book Prize, Royal Historical Society""Shortlisted for the ECPR Political Theory Prize, European Consortium for Political Research""One of New Statesman's Books of the Year 2019""Winner of the David and Elaine Spitz Prize, The International Conference for the Study of Political Thought"

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Book SynopsisFeminism doesn’t empower women. It erases them.The bestselling author of Theology of Home, Carrie Gress shows that fifty years of radical feminism have solidified the primacy of the traditionally male sphere of life and devalued the attributes, virtues, and strengths of women. Feminism, the ideology dedicated to "smashing the patriarchy," has instead made male lives the norm for everyone. After fifty years of radical feminism, we can’t even define "woman." In this powerful new book, Carrie Gress says what cannot be said: feminism has abolished women. Hulking "trans women" thrash female athletes. Mothers abort their baby girls. Drag queens perform obscene parodies of women. Females are enslaved for men''s pleasure—or they enslave themselves. Feminism doesn’t avert these tragedies; it encourages them. The carefree binge of self-absorption has left women exploited, unhappy, dependent on the state, and at war with men. And still, feminists cling to their illusions of liberation. But there are real answers. Real answers for real women. Carrie Gress—a wife, mother, and philosopher—punctures the myth of feminism, exposing its legacy of abuse, abandonment, and anarchy. From the serpent’s seduction of Eve to Mary Shelley''s Frankenstein to Kate Millett’s lust, violence, and insanity to Meghan Markle’s havoc-ridden rise to royalty, Gress presents a history as intriguing as the characters who lived it. The answers women most desperately need, she concludes, are to be found precisely where they are most afraid to look. Only a rediscovery of true womanhood—and motherhood—can pull our society back from the brink. And happiness is possible only if women are open to making peace with men, with children, with God, and—no less difficult—with themselves. For feminism’s victims, Gress is a welcoming voice in the darkness: The door is open. The lights are on. Come home.

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Book SynopsisJordan Peterson rocketed to fame in the 2010s and has preached on everything from the evils of postmodern neo-Marxism to the mating habits of lobsters ever since then. The Left has since leveled many criticisms about the Canadian psychologist, characterizing him as everything from an apologist for the alt-right to simply not being interesting or profound. Myth and Mayhem: A Leftist Critique of Jordan Peterson is intended as a comprehensive critical look at all aspects of his thought, from the philosophical depths to the mundane heights. Written by four authors who each look at a different element of his thought, it shows why taking Peterson seriously doesn't mean embracing him. Includes an introduction by Slavoj Zizek

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Book SynopsisLiberalism is under attack. From the rise of nationalism and populism to the decline of trust in institutions, liberals are facing unprecedented challenges. But what does it mean to be a liberal in the 21st Century? And how can we defend the values that we hold dear? In his new book, How to Be a Liberal, Ian Dunt provides a clear and concise guide to liberalism for the modern age. Drawing on his years of experience as a journalist and political commentator, Dunt argues that liberalism is not just a set of abstract principles, but a practical guide to living a good and meaningful life. In the book, Dunt covers a wide range of topics, including: What is liberalism and why is it important? The history of liberalism and its key thinkers The different types of liberalism and their strengths and weaknesses How to be a liberal in a world that is increasingly hostile to liberalism Dunt's writing is witty and engaging, and he makes complex ideas accessible to a general audience. He is also not afraid to tackle difficult topics, such as the challenges of multiculturalism and the rise of identity politics. But what makes How to Be a Liberal truly unique is Dunt's emphasis on the importance of humor and irony in the defense of liberalism. He argues that liberals need to learn to laugh at themselves and their opponents, and to avoid taking themselves too seriously. In one passage, Dunt writes: "Liberalism is not a religion. It is a set of ideas that are open to challenge and debate. Liberals should never be afraid to laugh at themselves or their own beliefs. In fact, I would argue that a sense of humor is essential for any liberal who wants to be effective in the world." Dunt's book is a timely and important contribution to the debate about liberalism in the 21st century. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what it means to be a liberal today and how to defend the values that we hold dear.Trade Review‘A tour de force; a mighty trumpet blast for the forces of liberalism and enlightenment in the face of a global tide of ignorance and populism.’ – THE SECRET BARRISTER‘This is a history of ideas as it should be written – brilliant, vivid story-telling about the people who shaped liberalism, the challenges it has faced over the centuries, its commitment to the truth and why it’s now more important than ever to defend it.’ – CAROLINE LUCAS MP‘Dunt’s gift for making complicated issues comprehensible is second to none. Courageous.’ – JAMES O’BRIEN, LBC‘How To Be A Liberal is required reading for today’s political debates.’ – ANNE APPLEBAUM, TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACY ‘Clear-eyed and hard-headed. His defence of liberalism is political writing at its most urgent and engaging.’ – NICK COHEN, OBSERVER COLUMNIST‘A phenomenal history from a truly big mind.’ – DAVID SCHNEIDER, THE DEATH OF STALIN'When in the course of human events it falls on us to resist, this makes a welcome guidebook.' – KIRKUS'He describes liberalism as “an enormous, boisterous, confounding bloody thing,” and writes passionately in its favour, as a counterweight to ignorance and populism. This book is required reading for anyone interested in politics and philosophy.' – PROSPECT'All of Ian Dunt’s How to be a Liberal is essential reading, but the chapter on Harriet Taylor and John Stuart Mill is blistering, eye-opening stuff.' – Shakespeare & Company bookstore, https://twitter.com/Shakespeare_Co/status/1332266783303151617 Table of ContentsTODAY. Reveals the six lies behind the rise of nationalism in the Republican Party in the USA, the Conservative Party in Great Britain, the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, Likud in Israel, the Alliance for Brazil in Brazil, PDP–Laban in the Philippines, Fidesz in Hungary and the Lega in Italy 1. BIRTH. The origin of independent thought in the mind of philosopher René Descartes, who realised Cogito, ergo sum: 'I think therefore I am'. Mentions Meditations on First Philosophy and Discourse on the Method, and Nicolaus Copernicus' On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres. 2. AWAKENING. In the English Civil War period, radicals started to outline three political thoughts that challenged the established order. They were freedom of religious conscience, the notion of the individual, and the notion of doubt. These three ideas would become central to liberalism 3. THE THREE REVOLUTIONS. Liberalism was moulded in the furnace of three revolutions in the 18th century: The Glorious Revolution in England, the American Revolution and the French Revolution THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 4. CONSTANT. The womanising dissolute 18th Century Swiss philosopher Benjamin Constant established the political rights of the individual and warned of the tyranny of an over-mighty government in Napoleonic France 5. HARRIET AND JOHN. Harriet Taylor and John Stuart Mill had a deep love affair and laid the groundwork for the development of modern liberalism, including championing a minority cause in 19th Century Victorian England: the right of women to vote. They wrote The Enfranchisement of Women and On Liberty 6. DEATH. The Dreyfuss Affair in France, the extermination of peasants in Ukraine's Holodomor, and the genocide against Jews in Nazi Germany showed what happened when nationalism when tyrants could channel the 'will of the people' over the rights of the individual protected by liberalism 7. NEW WORLD ORDER. After the catastrophe of the Second World War, liberal democracies in the West built a new post-war, rights-based liberal world order designed to guarantee peace and individual rights. Economically John Maynard Keynes triumphed over Friedrich Hayek 8. BELONGING. One flaw in liberalism was the lack of recognition of the identity felt by individuals, whether nationality or religion. The English writer George Orwell and philosopher Isaiah Berlin averred the importance of this sense of belonging in their writings and ultimately in liberalism 9. CRASH. The post-war liberal world order crashed with oil crisis stagflation in the 1970s when Hayek's small state philosophy took root in US governments, leading to bank deregulation on Wall Street (and likewise in the UK under Margaret Thatcher) - leading eventually to 2008 global financial crash 10. IDENTITY WAR. Liberalism had largely been devised by white men, and women and ethnic groups carved out a separate identity that put the group ahead of the individual. 'This was no longer the politics of how to change the world. It was the politics of who you were.' 11. ANTI-TRUTH. Just as liberalism faced multiple threats from the resurgence of nationalism, the rise of identity politics and the financial crash, people’s ability to use reason diminished with the rise of social media. Now everyone was the arbiter of their own truth. Facts became opinions. 12. THE NEW NATIONALISM. 1. Hungary, where Victor Urban used fear of foreigners to dismantle the free media and democratic institutions of Hungary. 2. The rise of Donald Trump who degraded the idea of independent facts. 3 Brexit Britain where nationalist propaganda trumped a nation's interests 13. THE OTHER. How nationalists in Italy, Britain, the US and elsewhere have seized on a supposed threat to their countries from other people to whip up dissent and to crack down on immigration and the rights of individuals, harming democracy and liberal values TOMORROW. The big problem with liberalism has been complacency that it would eventually triumph around the world. The answer is for liberals to fight for their democratic values. Joe Biden's election as US President offers hope for a kinder, better future SORRY & THANK YOU. Acknowledgements and apologies. Mentions Ronald Dworkin, TH Green, François Guizot, Leonard Hobhouse, Wilhelm von Humboldt, Immanuel Kant, Robert Nozick, Martha Nussbaum, Karl Popper, John Rawls, Friedrich Schiller and Alexis de Tocqueville. FURTHER READING. An extensive list of books that hold the keys to liberalism, including Liberalism: The Life of an Idea by Edmund Fawcett and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Also recommended is Toby Buckle’s Political Philosophy podcast. 'You owe it to yourself to read On Liberty' INDEX. The As start: Act of Union, Acxiom, Adam, adaptive preference, advertising, African Americans, aggregate demand, agitators, Agreement of the People, Akhmatova, Aktion T-4 programme, algorithms, alternative facts...

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Book Synopsis*A Waterstones, Financial Times and New Statesman Book of the Year*''A tremendous book, timely, wise, authoritative and clear'' Stephen Fry''A brilliantly eloquent, incredibly insightful reimagining of liberalism'' Owen Jones''Clear, brave, compelling'' David Miliband''Inspiring ... impassioned ... full of hope'' Zadie Smith''This is a fantastic book'' Thomas PikettyImagine: you are designing a society, but you don''t know who you''ll be within it - rich or poor, man or woman, gay or straight. What would you want that society to look like? This is the revolutionary thought experiment proposed by the twentieth century''s greatest political philosopher, John Rawls. As economist and philosopher Daniel Chandler argues in this hugely ambitious and exhilarating intervention, it is by rediscovering Rawls that we can find a way out of the escalating crises that are devastating our world tTrade ReviewA robust and inspiring case for the philosophy of John Rawls, dragging his theory of justice down from Harvard's ivory towers and into the street with the people. In clear and impassioned style [Chandler] returns Rawls to the center of the conversation, where he belongs, re-establishing his work as a potential agent of radical - and practicable - change... intellectually rigorous and full of hope -- Zadie SmithA beautifully written and compelling argument that Rawlsian political philosophy can heal our broken societies and make us, indeed, free and equal -- Professor Sir Angus Deaton, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and author of Deaths of DespairThis is a fantastic book. More than ever, we need philosophers to participate in the public debate about inequality and sustainability. In Free and Equal Daniel Chandler provides us with the moral basis for an ambitious egalitarian agenda, and a roadmap for putting this into practice. It is a must-read! -- Thomas PikettyA tremendous book, timely, wise, authoritative and clear. The world will fall on it like tired labourers falling on a tray of donuts -- Stephen FryA brilliantly eloquent, incredibly insightful reimagining of liberalism, and by such a compelling writer -- Owen JonesAn exceptionally sane, judicious essay on what a viable democracy entails... [Chandler] develops a realistic, humane - and in its way, revolutionary - vision of a society committed to equity, inclusion and accountability. It should become an indispensable tool in political debate in the years ahead -- Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of CanterburySo many of the answers to our dilemmas about democracy and inequality can be found in the philosophy of John Rawls. Daniel Chandler brings those answers to life with contemporary evidence and solutions. Read Free and Equal and feel hopeful about the future -- Minouche ShafikChandler has an excellent background on the philosophical issues that are central to practical policy making, and given the lucidity and reach of what he writes, this book will meet a very important need -- Amartya Sen, winner of the Nobel Prize in EconomicsMany of us wonder idly why we can't live in a kinder world. Daniel Chandler has done us all a significant favour by devising a powerful analysis of exactly why the world is not presently kind and how it might become more so. An inspiring work which returns political philosophy to its rightful position: that of working out how to make things better -- Alain de BottonClear, brave, compelling. This book shows how to put values at the heart of politics in a rigorous way, and is an important contribution to the future of progressive politics -- David MilibandThis is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of the left, and indeed the future of liberal democracy -- Jon Cruddas MPA magnificent attempt to apply fundamental philosophical principles to the practical building of a better world. Far-reaching and well-evidenced, it offers a new, coherent, principles-based approach to policy design -- Professor Lord Richard LayardIn this very timely and refreshing book, Daniel Chandler argues that rather than abandon liberalism we must reimagine it. Free and Equal asks big questions about how human society should be organised, and offers answers all of us should take seriously, whatever our politics -- Jesse Norman MPDaniel Chandler is the most exciting new thinker on the scene, making the most complex of ideas digestible even for idiots like me. Free and Equal provides a refreshingly hopeful tonic for our cynical times. I gulped it down -- Hadley FreemanInvaluable... Chandler takes a set of universal principles around fairness, based on the philosophy of John Rawls, and applies them to the real world of liberal democracy -- Sir Vince Cable, former leader of the Liberal DemocratsA beautifully clear, inspiring, wise book with the potential not only to reinvent liberalism, but to transform our societies for the better -- Johann HariDaniel Chandler's provocative book helps make human possibilities more credible than they have been in our neoliberal age. Free and Equal doubles as an accessible guide to a leading philosophical system, and a call for a new agenda for justice in our time -- Samuel Moyn, author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal WorldThought-provoking -- Linda Yueh, author of The Great Economists and The Great CrashesLucid and well-informed -- Philippe Van ParijsLet's hope it is as widely read as it needs to be -- Kate Pickett, author of The Spirit LevelThis is superb work, in both explaining Rawls for general readers and in applying Rawlsian principles to contemporary problems of social and political justice ... It is impressive - clear, concise, thorough, and accessible -- Professor Samuel Freeman, author of Rawls and editor of The Cambridge Companion to RawlsA book full of ideals and ideas, optimism grounded in action. It is as energising as it is timely -- Andy Haldane, former Chief Economist of the Bank of EnglandThis is a morally steadfast book, which liberalism's honest opponents should take for their target, and which will enliven liberal theory and perhaps even reinvigorate liberal political practice -- Daniel MarkovitsA rousing and original argument against hopelessness which will convince even the most jaded among us that a better public debate and a more just world are indeed within reach -- Ryan AventA timely and thought-provoking look into society, Chandler's insights are much needed in today's world. Free and Equal offers a well-written perspective on how we live today and provides hope in practical ways for economies to operate for the better in the future -- Rupal PatelA stirringly hopeful book ... An exemplary demonstration of how public reasoning can be done ... This is a kind of erudite public intellectualism reminiscent of Amartya Sen, and is a welcome respite from the knee-jerk moralism that dominates the op-ed pages and social media * New Statesman *Powerfully argued and lucidly written * Financial Times *Inspiring ... A stirring call for egalitarian liberalism based on the ideas of John Rawls * Guardian *A breath of fresh air... Engaging, clear and persuasive * Literary Review *Serious, progressive, and grounded in a great political philosopher ... Such a contrast to the trivia about liberal elites -- Will Hutton (via Twitter)Fascinating -- Matt Lucas (via Twitter)Important... skilful... Free and Equal is a shining example of how a lucid writer can make complex arguments clearer and develop practical proposals to improve society -- Paschal Donohoe * Irish Times *Attractively written and strongly argued ... This is a welcome reminder of what progressive politics should be -- Jonathan Wolff * Times Literary Supplement *Genuinely original... An inspiring catalogue of fresh ideas each with a clear and jargon-free philosophical underpinning drawn from Rawls' work -- John Mitchinson * Byline Times *A crisp exposition of Rawls's principles ... skipping freely between gritty evidence and high theory, and grappling impressively and impatiently with practical obstacles to change ... Chandler is reminiscent of his one-time teacher, Amartya Sen * Prospect *A refreshing and useful contribution to envisioning a better world… Free and Equal provides a model for what politically engaged philosophy should look like * Jacobin *A really vibrant piece of work, which provides social democrats with something there's been precious little of for a long time: inspiration -- Ian Dunt * Waterstones (Book of the Year) *So refreshing to read substantive & beautifully expressed suggestions for improving almost everything -- James O’Brien (via Twitter)

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisTo save both democracy and a decent economy, here is why it is crucial that Americans elect a truly progressive president.Trade Review"A beautifully written book, hauntingly disturbing as it describes the Republican assault on our democracy and the real dangers of a second Trump administration, but hopeful as it proposes a way forward for an electoral victory and the enactment of a progressive agenda that would restore dignity and living standards to all Americans." -- Joseph Stiglitz

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Book SynopsisRights are part of our everyday moral and political vocabulary. Yet while few would deny that rights are important, there is a great deal of disagreement about just how valuable rights are and what their proper limits ought to be. For example, some scholars and practitioners maintain that human rights are valuable because they lay down a framework of protection, while at the same time leaving people ample room to lead their lives as they see fit. They are not just another way of life, but instead set the boundaries to what government can or cannot do. Others, however, hold that, while important, rights are not neutral between different ways of life and hence cannot tell us what to do when different ways of life conflict. This collection breaks new ground by tackling such questions head on. The issues it covers are some of the most vital that we face today. Their relevance to contemporary social and political debates cannot be overstated. The collection should appeal to political phiTable of Contents1. Introduction: The value and limits of rights: essays in honour of Peter Jones 2. Human rights and the diversity of value 3. Grounding human rights 4. Why liberals should not worry about subsidizing opera 5. Rights as democracy 6. The right to health versus good medical care? 7. The value and limits of rights: a reply 8. Peter Jones: Publications

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Book SynopsisA timely and provocative account of the fall of New Labour, the rise of Corbyn, and what it means for the left in Britain.Lewis Goodall is one of the most exciting voices in British politics right now' Emily MaitlisHugely illuminating, thought-provoking and moving in its seriousness and optimism' Lord Andrew AdonisESSENTIAL READING DURING LABOUR'S LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN.In the 21st Century the Labour Party has undergone the most extraordinary transformation in its history. After more than a decade of political dominance, the party lost two consecutive general elections and found its leadership usurped by the obscure far-left MP Jeremy Corbyn. As Britain voted to leave the EU, Labour seemed destined for long term irrelevance.In Left for Dead? journalist Lewis Goodall tells the full story of this political journey with unprecedented access to all its key players, from Blair to Corbyn. Weaving together personal memoir, exclusive interviews, juicy gossip and incisive critique, he travels fromTrade Review‘Lewis Goodall is one of the most exciting voices in British politics right now – and this book shows clearly why he is worth listening to. Profoundly, exquisitely funny, Left for Dead is that rare gem – acute political observation told through intensely personal story’ Emily Maitlis ‘Lewis Goodall’s brilliant book is part memoir, part portrait of Labour and the Britain he grew up in under Blair. It is the best work I have read of his generation, which thank God is replacing mine. Hugely illuminating, thought-provoking and moving in its seriousness and optimism’ Lord Andrew Adonis ‘I cannot recommend Lewis Goodall’s book enough. I’m loving every page. It’s not just politically powerful but far more emotional to read than I’d expected’ Matt Forde ‘A rip-roaring ride, sparky and sharp … Goodall explores Labour’s story with rigour’ Daily Telegraph ‘An excellent new book on Corbynism, and where it stands in Labour’s history’ Andrew Sparrow, Guardian ‘Lewis Goodall argues compellingly that the 2017 general election didn’t change British politics, it revealed profound shifts that had been taking place for years. Goodall challenges the most entrenched assumptions and reveals a Britain utterly changed. This is big picture journalism informed but up close and intimate detail. Goodall’s reporting is energetic, astute, eloquent. His voice rings with a decency and respect for others that is often missing in an increasingly polarised and bitter political discourse – and left me feeling, by the end, surprisingly hopeful about the future’ Allan Little ‘Impassioned and insightful, this is the best book on Labour to appear in years. Lewis Goodall combines the precision of an expert analyst with the raw emotion that comes from growing up in a family rooted in the Labour Party’s past traditions’ Professor Marc Stears, Director, Sydney Policy Lab, University of Sydney (Formerly chief speechwriter to Ed Miliband MP)

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