Democracy Books

Book SynopsisThe debut non-fiction book from the award-winning novelist and journalist unpicks the hypocrisy and injustices of the West at a volatile and shocking time

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Book SynopsisA Guardian Book of the Day''By telling the story of Putin and Berezovsky - a sort of modern reincarnation of Stalin and Trotsky - Knight shines a penetrating light on post-communist Russia''In The Kremlin''s Noose Amy Knight tells the riveting story of Vladimir Putin and the oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who forged a relationship in the early years of the Yeltsin era.Berezovsky later played a crucial role in Putin''s rise to the Russian presidency in March 2000. When Putin began dismantling Boris Yeltsin''s democratic reforms, Berezovsky came into conflict with the new Russian leader by reproaching him publicly. Their relationship quickly disintegrated into a bitter feud played out against the backdrop of billion-dollar financial deals, Kremlin in-fighting and international politics.Dubbed the ''Godfather of the Kremlin'' by the slain Russian-American journalist Paul Klebnikov, Berezovsky was a successful businessman and media mogul who had an outsized role in Russia after 1991. Worth a reported $3 billion by 1997, Berezovsky engineered the re-election of Yeltsin as president in 1996 and negotiated an end to the 1995-96 Chechen war. Despite his own wealth, power and influence, once he became Putin''s enemy, Berezovsky was forced into exile in Britain, where he waged a determined campaign to topple Putin. Kremlin authorities responded with bogus criminal charges and demanded Berezovsky''s extradition. Death threats soon followed. In March 2013, after losing a British court battle with another Russian oligarch, Berezovsky was found dead at his ex-wife''s mansion outside London. Whether he died from suicide or murder remains a mystery.The Kremlin''s Noose sheds crucial new light on the Kremlin''s volatile politics under Yeltsin and Putin, helping us understand why democracy in Russia failed so badly. Knight provides a fascinating narrative of Putin''s rise to power and his authoritarian rule, told through the prism of his relationship with Russia''s once most powerful oligarch, Boris Berezovsky.

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Book SynopsisEssentials of UK Politics and Government is the go-to textbook for all A-level Politics students studying the Edexcel specification. Building on Andrew Heywood's signature accessible style, this new fifth edition has been thoroughly updated by Kathy Schindler and Adam Tomes who draw on their experience to provide an innovative guide to UK Politics. This book covers all the core topics from Democracy and Participation, Elections and Referendums and Voting Behaviour, to the Constitution, the Prime Minister and Parliament.Packed with contemporary examples, this edition includes material on the 2017 and 2019 General Elections, Covid-19 and the latest Brexit developments. Curated pedagogical features such as Key Topic Debates, Case Studies and Synoptic Links will encourage students to strengthen their critical thinking skills and hone their ability to debate with confidence. Accompanying the book is a content-rich companion website featuring bonus case studies, further samTrade ReviewAt such an important time for the study of Politics, Essentials of UK Politics and Government cuts right through the complexities and jargon and guides students to the heart of the crucial debates, whilst remaining both challenging and accessible. * Gavin Sheffield, Long Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge *Essentials of UK Politics and Government is by far the most comprehensive and readable Politics textbook. It combines excellent subject content with practical exam focus and exemplar material. A must for any aspiring high-grade Politics student. * Jal Patel, Woodhouse College, London *The book Politics teachers and students have been waiting for! Finally, a readable and in-depth analysis of British Politics with scaffolded elements to both challenge and support students. * Ciara McCombe, Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College, London *Heywood’s Politics textbooks have been my “go-to” textbooks for 20 years. His books are well written and accessible, and this book is no different. This is the best Edexcel A-Level UK Politics book that covers the new syllabus. * Julian Thomas, St John’s School, Leatherhead *This is a fantastic resource for A-Level Politics students and teachers. The generous number of case studies, helpful website suggestions, synoptic links and exam tips add depth and will help students to apply their knowledge in exams. I cannot wait to start using this book! * Sally Thorne, Montpelier High School, Bristol *This definitive companion to Edexcel A-Level Politics will prove indispensable for students. Essentials of UK Politics and Government presents the study of Politics as it should be, a living and breathing discipline that evolves through debate. It not only provides students with a lively and highly readable guide to the specification content, but also develops theirunderstanding of how to use this content when responding to essay and source questions. A valuable learning andteaching tool that will undoubtedly improve grades. * Benjamin Smith, Wrekin College, Shropshire *An engaging and accessible access point to Politics with sage exam advice and contemporary examples to support and challenge students’ thinking. This is the go to text for A-Level Politics. * Sarah Bennett, New College, Swindon *Clear, concise and up-to-date, the new edition of Essentials of UK Politics and Government is a fantastic companion to the Edexcel Politics A-Level and a great tool in aiding students in their studies. The book lays out information in a way that is going to help students to access and engage with the material with ease. The topical case studies and the presentation of key debates in a “for and against” format lends itself nicely to being applied to essay style questions. I can see my students benefiting greatly from this textbook. * Louis Sugden, Jumeirah College, Dubai *Essentials of UK Politics and Government provides an excellently comprehensive guide to the Edexcel Paper 1 and 2 specifications. Using debates to present complex course content, it allows students to develop their thinking. Clear signposting of synoptic links and definitions means that this textbook suits all students, providing both the opportunity to check their understanding of the fundamentals as well as stretch and challenge themselves. I would highly recommend this to teachers and students in the Politics community. * Lucy Ryall, Poole High School, Poole *An accessible and intuitive guide to A-Level Politics. This comprehensive book offers vital guidance on how to effectively teach, and understand, all aspects of the syllabus. I highly recommend this book to help guide teachers, as well as students. * Suzanne Asherson, Menorah High School, London *Essentials of UK Politics and Government has everything students need in an A-Level textbook. This is a book that develops students’ skills, deepens their knowledge and ignites debates. Students of A-Level Politics will find this book helpful, engaging and thought-provoking. Fresh, accessible and well-laid out, I would highly recommend this to fellow A-Level Politics departments. * Dom Giles, Stratford Girls’ Grammar School *This book is an excellent tool for any student studying A-Level Politics, or any teacher teaching it. The clear layout of different topics in a for and against structure perfectly suits students’ learning needs, and the helpful graphs and infographics make key information clear and easy to understand. * Laurie Huggett-Wilde, Godalming College *Table of ContentsHow to Use the Book 1. Democracy and Participation: Suffrage 2. Democracy and Participation: Pressure Groups and Rights 3. Political Parties 4. Elections and Referendums 5. Voting Behaviour 6. The Media 7. The Constitution 8. Parliament 9. The Prime Minister and Executive 10. Supreme Court, EU and Sovereignty 11. Exam Focus

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Book SynopsisRead the inspiring Sunday Times bestselling memoir from the first woman, and woman of colour, to serve as Vice President of the United States.'A life story that genuinely entrances' Los Angeles TimesThe daughter of immigrants and civil rights activists, Vice President Kamala Harris was raised in a California community that cared deeply about social justice. As she rose to prominence as a political leader, her experiences would become her guiding light as she grappled with an array of complex issues and learned to bring a voice to the voiceless.Now, in The Truths We Hold, Harris reckons with the big challenges we face together. Drawing on the hard-won wisdom and insight from her own career and the work of those who have most inspired her, she communicates a vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values as we confront the great work of our day.'Personal integrity shines through every page' ObserverTrade ReviewA fascinating insight into a remarkable career -- Clare Fulton * Scotsman, *Christmas Gift Guide 2021* *

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Book Synopsis'Everything a manifesto should be: heartfelt, hectoring, impassioned, rousing.' The i__________________________________________________'Your country needs you. Your world needs you. Your time is now.'Our politics is a mess. Leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. Governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, 'But what can I do?'That question is the inspiration behind this book. It's a question regularly posed to Alastair Campbell, not least in reaction to The Rest is Politics, the chart-topping podcast he presents with Rory Stewart. His answer, typically, is forthright and impassioned. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. If we think things need to change, then we need to change them, and that means getting involved.But What Can I Do? provides each of us with the motivation and the tools to effect change for the better. It draws on Alastair's long experience to offer practical tips on putting together and leading a campaign team. It provides priceless advice on developing confidence and coping with criticism and setbacks. And it sets out the practical steps by which we can become political players ourselves. Part call to arms, part practical handbook, But What Can I Do? will prove required reading for anyone who wants to make a difference.

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Book SynopsisReaching for Utopia brings together insightful essays and profiles chronicling the remarkable political and cultural transformations of the last decade – from the fall of Gordon Brown, to the rise of Corbyn and the radical left, to Brexit. Cowley is fascinated by the men and women who are creating the history of our era as well as those who document it. He has met and interviewed nearly all the major political players shaping and changing the way we live today.The book features fascinating, wide-ranging narrative profiles of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn, Alex Salmond, Nigel Farage, David Cameron, George Osborne and Theresa May. Cowley is unusual in having access to party leaders and prime ministers on both the left and right.The book also features penetrating essays on writers such as George Orwell, John le Carré, Kazuo Insiguro, and Ian McEwan, personal essays, an investigation into the so-called Brexit Murder, and a striking conversation with the political philosopher Michael Sandel.Cowley is one of the most influential journalists in Britain. He is notable for being both a political and literary journalist. And he also writes about sport, especially football, and covered the 2006 World Cup in Germany for the Observer.He has been widely credited with transforming the fortunes of the New Statesman, which in 2017 has recorded its highest print circulation for nearly 40 years as well as becoming a major digital title with rapidly growing online profile. According to the European Press Prize, ‘Cowley has succeeded in revitalising the New Statesman and re-establishing its position as an influential political and cultural weekly. He has given the New Statesman an edge and a relevance to current affairs it hasn't had for years.’In 2017, at the British Society of Magazine Editors awards, Cowley won the editor of the year award (politics and current affairs) for the third time. In 2018, he launched New Statesman America.Trade ReviewThe subtitle for this collection of essays, profiles and interviews by New Statesman editor Jason Cowley is “making sense of an age of upheaval” and largely he succeeds. The section on politics and power is fascinating. Cowley is determined to understand antagonists, to explain the dominant individuals shaping our era. The likes of Arsène Wenger, Tiger Woods, Kazuo Ishiguro and Ian McEwan are explored in the Lives and Letters collection, too, making for a well-rounded collection by a thoughtful and engaging writer. -- Ben East * The Observer *A distinctly superior book … Cowley's thoughtful style is a pleasure to read. He has proved himself the rightful heir of the great Victorians. -- Simon Heffer * The Telegraph *These finely woven and open-minded essays have a dark stream trickling through them: of loss, chances missed, past success fading and no longer giving solace. This elegiac strain of regret, disappointment and intimations of mortality is invoked by, or attributed to, most of the public men and women profiled by Jason Cowley in Reaching for Utopia. -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *In their uncertain but foreboding style, the Jesus and Mary Chain once sang of how heaven is too close to hell. It’s not entirely clear what they were inferring, but it remains an intriguing image. A reading of Jason Cowley’s artful new book might lead us to conclude that utopia and dystopia share a similarly close proximity. Strive for the former and you may well end in the latter. Amongst a range of issues covered in this collection of profiles and essays, it is the unyielding pursuit of an unachievable utopia, an overstretching for something better, that is set as the frame. It is here that some understanding of our present malaise might be found in the fragments of recent history. -- David Beer * Berfrois *The strength of this outstanding essay collection lies in Cowley’s access to the key players in British politics, his considerable powers of social and political analysis and his excellent prose style. -- David Patrikarakos * Prospect Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of international bestseller On Tyranny, this prescient analysis of Russia's ongoing interference in the West is now more relevant than ever. 'One of the best...brisk, conceptually convincing account of democracy's retreat in the early years of 21st century' Guardian The past is another country, the old saying goes. The same might be said of the future. But which country? For Europeans and Americans today, the answer is Russia. In this visionary work of contemporary history, Timothy Snyder shows how Russia works within the West to destroy the West; by supporting the far right in Europe, invading Ukraine in 2014, and waging a cyberwar during the 2016 presidential campaign and the EU referendum. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the creation of Donald Trump, an American failure deployed as a Russian weapon. But this threat presents an opportunity to better understand the pillars of our freedoms and face the choices that will determine the future: equality or oligarchy, individualism or totalitarianism, truth or lies. 'A brilliant and disturbing analysis, which should be read by anyone wishing to understand the political crisis currently engulfing the world' Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of SapiensTrade ReviewA brilliant and disturbing analysis, which should be read by anyone wishing to understand the political crisis currently engulfing the world -- YUVAL NOAH HARARI, author of SAPIENS and HOMO DEUSThis story of how Russia dismantled democracy, and the man who set its template for fake news, is chilling and persuasive ... unignorable... a disturbing and persuasive insight... Snyder's forensic examination of, for example the news cycle that followed the shooting down of flight MH17 makes essential reading ... Meticulously researched and footnoted. -- Tim Adams * Observer *One of the best…brisk, conceptually convincing account of democracy’s retreat in the early years of 21st century -- Luke Harding * Guardian *Snyder’s central thesis is a strong one… Vividly and insightfully told. -- Edward Lucas * The Times *A rollercoaster world calls for a news editor’s skills in processing facts and a philosopher’s ability to dissect ideologies. He has both. * The Economist *

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Book Synopsis'Scintillating ... thought-provoking ... one of the very best of the great crop of recent books on the subject.' Andrew Rawnsley, Observer Democracy has died hundreds of times, all over the world. We think we know what that looks like: chaos descends and the military arrives to restore order, until the people can be trusted to look after their own affairs again. However, there is a danger that this picture is out of date. Until very recently, most citizens of Western democracies would have imagined that the end was a long way off, and very few would have thought it might be happening before their eyes as Trump, Brexit and paranoid populism have become a reality. David Runciman, one of the UK's leading professors of politics, answers all this and more as he surveys the political landscape of the West, helping us to spot the new signs of a collapsing democracy and advising us on what could come next.Trade ReviewScintillating ... thought-provoking ... Runciman's flair for turning a pithy and pungent phrase is one of the things to admire about his writing. The cogency, subtlety and style with which he teases out the paradoxes and perils faced by democracy makes this one of the very best of the great crop of recent books on the subject. -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *Bracingly intelligent ... a wonderful read -- Mark Mazower * Guardian *Presented in pellucid prose free of the jargon of academic political science, How Democracy Ends is a strikingly readable and richly learned contribution to understanding the world today ... surely one of the most luminously intelligent books on politics to have been published for many years. -- John Gray * New Statesman *Breezy yet incisive...Runciman may not have all the answers, but there is certainly plenty of nourishment here. -- Klaus Dodds * Geographical *Full of intriguing new lines of thought -- Gideon Rachman * FT *Refreshingly, rather than a knicker-twisting diatribe about Trump and Brexit, Runciman offers a thoughtful analysis about what popular democracy means, and its alternatives. -- Katrina Gulliver * Spectator *Refreshingly free of received and rehearsed wisdoms, Runciman doesn't tiptoe around sacred cows and invites us to take part in that most adult way of thinking: to examine contradictory ideas in tandem and ponder what the dissonance amounts to. . . . [H]e argues lucidly, persuasively, even exhilaratingly at times. The nightly news will never appear exactly the same again * Australian *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Shifts and the Shocks, and one of the most influential writers on economics, a reckoning with how and why the relationship between democracy and capitalism is coming undone We are living in an age when economic failings have shaken faith in global capitalism. Political failings have undermined trust in liberal democracy and in the very notion of truth. The ties that ought to bind open markets to free and fair elections are being strained and rejected, even in democracy''s notional heartlands. Around the world, democratic capitalism, which depends on the determined separation of power from wealth, is in crisis. Some now argue that capitalism is better without democracy; others that democracy is better without capitalism.This book is a forceful rejoinder to both views. It analyses how the marriage between capitalism and democracy has become so fraught and yet insists that a divorce would be an almost unimaginable calamity. Martin Wolf, one of the wisest public voices on global affairs, argues that for all its recent failings - slowing growth, increasing inequality, widespread popular disillusion - democratic capitalism, though inherently fragile, remains the best system we know for human flourishing. Capitalism and democracy are complementary opposites: they need each other if either is to thrive. Wolf''s superb exploration of their marriage shows us how citizenship and a shared faith in the common good are not romantic slogans but the essential foundation of our economic and political freedom.Trade ReviewMartin Wolf has been an incisive commentator on economics and politics for a long time. This book is an excellent and thought-provoking synthesis of his views on democratic capitalism and how to fix it. -- Ben Bernanke, former chair of the Federal ReserveMartin Wolf is one of the deepest thinkers of our times and his latest book is a must-read! He brilliantly analyzes the causes of current crisis of democratic capitalism and presents the reforms needed to successfully rejuvenate it. He rightly calls for a new alliance of reformed democratic capitalist states to protect global peace, inclusive prosperity and the planet against plutocratic populism and tyranny. Hopefully, his words will be carefully read and heeded. -- Nouriel Roubini, Professor, New York UniversityMartin Wolf is a great humanist and a sharp analytical mind. He unfurls here a bracing indictment of democratic capitalism and an inspiring defense of it. To defend the values of freedom and dignity, democracy and capitalism must both be reformed. A necessary book- and a guide -- for our times -- Daniel Ziblatt, Professsor, Harvard University and co-author of HOW DEMOCRACIES DIEMartin Wolf brings together many decades' worth of thought and analysis into this superb synthesis. An important guide for anyone seeking answers to the most difficult questions of our time. -- Anne Applebaum, Atlantic staff writer and author of TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACYMartin Wolf is our wisest, most acute, and most experienced commentator. He has long been an optimist, but no more. He believes that today's market economy is no longer compatible with a stable liberal democracy. As Plato long ago warned, insecurity and fear can be the gateways to tyranny. Wolf's recommendations are smart and sensible and perhaps not too late. A must read for both optimists and pessimists. -- Sir Angus Deaton, Nobel Prize in Economics 2015Martin Wolf has written the definitive account of what ails capitalism and democracy. This staggeringly erudite and beautifully written book is sure to become required reading for anybody who wants to understand how democratic capitalism slid into a deep crisis, why it is worth rescuing, and how to do so. -- Yascha Mounk, Professor, Johns Hopkins University and author of THE GREAT EXPERIMENTThe arrival of this book could not be timelier as the global economy darkens further. Who better than Martin Wolf, with his masterful knowledge of history and understanding of economics, to identify the twin threats of predatory capitalism and demagogic politics and to plot a narrow corridor to escape? It takes someone with a knowledge of the entire forest to isolate the rot at the base of the trees. -- Carmen M. Reinhart, Professor of Economics, Harvard UniversityPassionate, alarmed, wise: Martin Wolf has poured his soul into the book that may be recognized as his masterpiece. In it, he confronts the disturbing truths dismissed by his own complacent generation, and their consequences, with which the young will contend. -- Sir Paul Collier, author of THE FUTURE OF CAPITALISMThe Crisis of Democratic Capitalism will reach a wide and powerful audience. It will be read by world leaders and CEOs. If it convinces some of them to change tack, away from the plutocratic path that national and international economies are currently on, then we should all be grateful. -- William Davies * New Statesman *a cri de coeur ... This book, impressively researched, is ... a mine of information for anybody wanting to know about the forces driving the global economy in recent decades ... Democracy is the worst form of government - except for all the others, as Churchill once said. And the same is true of capitalism relative to other forms of economic organisation. Fixing both is the task. -- David Smith * Sunday Times *The book's power lies in Wolf's central perception and the scale of the canvas he uses to illustrate it. The problems he describes - inequality, lack of social mobility, slowing productivity gains, the influence of money over politics, disaffection with democracy - are familiar, but by identifying them collectively as causes of the calamity he foresees, he gives new urgency to the need to address them. -- Emma Duncan * The Times *Martin Wolf is one of the world's most influential economists ... His new book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, is both his magnum opus and an explanation of his crisis of faith. ... Wolf argues that democracy and capitalism are complementary opposites: Opposites because capitalism depends on inequality of rewards while democracy depends on political equality, complementary because they both enshrine the principle of individual choice. But in recent decades this marriage of opposites has been falling apart, most importantly in the supposed standard-bearer of democratic capitalism, the United States. ... a penetrating analysis of Western society's ills -- Adrian Wooldridge * Bloomberg *The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism draws on the wisdom accumulated over his distinguished career... The case he makes is authoritative and compelling. * Economist *The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism will reach a wide and powerful audience. It will be read by world leaders and CEOs. If it convinces some of them to change tack, away from the plutocratic path that national and international economies are currently on, then we should all be grateful. -- William Davies * New Statesman *Martin Wolf shines a light on the doom loop of democratic capitalism ... in his fine new book -- Bill Emmott * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis''Will set your hair on end'' Telegraph, Top 50 Books of the Year''I forgot to breathe while reading The Fifth Risk'' Michael Hofmann, TLS, Books of the YearThe bestselling, no-holds-barred exposé of the people who are wrecking our democracy, by the master storyteller of our times ''The election happened ... And then there was radio silence.''The morning after Trump was elected president, the people who ran the US Department of Energy - an agency that deals with some of the most powerful risks facing humanity - waited to welcome the incoming administration''s transition team. Nobody appeared. Across the US government, the same thing happened: nothing.People don''t notice when stuff goes right. That is the stuff government does. It manages everything that underpins our lives from funding free school meals, to policing rogue nuclear activity, to predicting extreme weather events. It steps in where private investment fears to tread, innovates and creates knowledge, assesses extreme long-term risk. And now, government is under attack. By its own leaders.In The Fifth Risk, Michael Lewis reveals the combustible cocktail of wilful ignorance and venality that is fuelling the destruction of a country''s fabric. All of this, Lewis shows, exposes America and the world to the biggest risk of all. It is what you never learned that might have saved you.Trade ReviewStranger and more terrifying than fiction ... The characters are riveting, and the drama intense. It's a story so jaw-dropping that at times it's hard to believe it was not invented for film ... It paints a picture of America being not just pulled apart at the political seams, but in the very fabric of the government itself. * Daily Telegraph *A page turner ... Lewis's most ambitious and important book. * The New York Times Book Review *Who will fight for the censuses of this world? Who will defend the research grants, food-voucher programmes and risk management projects that quietly sustain a healthy nation? Step forward Michael Lewis. ... The result is a civics lesson worth taking ... Stunning. His message is powerful ... reminds us why good institutions matter, why skilled public servants are critical and what our government is actually for. * Sunday Times *Jaw-dropping ... genuinely stopped me in my tracks. -- Stefano Hatfield * i newspaper *Michael Lewis has a gift for identifying seemingly inaccessible subjects and spinning them into epic stories with Hollywood appeal. * New Statesman *Lewis's remarkable books tend to tell the stories of underdogs, heroically independent-minded people who zag when the world zigs. * Evening Standard *Risk has been the central theme of Lewis's highly successful career. ... The fifth risk is something impossible to conceive of in advance, or to prepare for directly. What matters is having a well-organised government in place to respond to these contingencies when they hit ­- exactly what the Trump administration has failed to do. * Guardian *Given that we now seem to be inhabiting a somewhat medieval world of plague and portent, I'd like to make the case for the prophetic powers of the US journalist Michael Lewis ... In December the notion [of the fifth risk] seemed wildly far-fetched. Four months on, it seems we will get the chance to find out if he was on the money. -- Tim Adams * Observer *The best part of The Fifth Risk is the evidence Lewis can add to the pile ... Lewis is a master of boiling down complexity into individual stories told by interesting characters. * The Times *Michael Lewis has a knack for making the complex appear simple. Here he uses the inner workings of the US Department of Energy to demonstrate how Trump is dismantling government. * i magazine *

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Book Synopsis** The Sunday Times #1 Bestseller**'One of the greatest political memoirs of all time' GuardianWhat happens when you take on the European establishment? Read as world-famous, provocative economist, and former Greece finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, blows the lid on his battle with EU officials over the Greek debt crisis. Varoufakis sparked one of the most spectacular and controversial battles in recent political history with his attempt to renegotiate Greece’s relationship with the European Union. Yet despite the mass support of the Greek people, and simple logic of his arguments, he succeeded only in provoking the fury of Europe’s political, financial and media elite. Exposing the real business taking place behind the EU’s closed doors, Varoufakis reveals all in this fearless, personal account. Adults In The Room is an extraordinary tale of brinkmanship, hypocrisy, collusion and betrayal that will shake the European and economic establishment to its foundations. Varoufakis is sending out an urgent wake-up call to renew European democracy before it is too late.**ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**Trade ReviewVaroufakis has written one of the greatest political memoirs of all time [and] one of the most accurate and detailed descriptions of modern power ever written * Guardian *An important, terrifying must-read. In particular, it anatomises the way in which EU leaders operate with a brutal clarity … shocking and ultimately tragic … He gets to the heart of their failure more acutely than anyone … Varoufakis has the greatest political virtues of all – courage and honesty * The Times *A tremendously indiscreet account … drawing upon his own audio recordings and diaries of top-level meetings. It is deeply personal and very well written * Financial Times *The most jaw-dropping segments are the accounts of phone calls and closed-door meetings – often verbatim, courtesy of his secret recordings – between ministers and technocrats ... We see duplicity and cynicism ruling supreme .. A convincing critique ... Our own government should take note * Daily Telegraph *This is a superbly written account of the struggle to alleviate the austerity imposed upon the Greek people by the eurozone. Greece, argues Varoufakis, has been put in a debtors’ prison and robbed of autonomy and dignity for the indefinite future. Critics would argue that he failed as finance minister in 2015 because he was insufficiently politic. More plausibly, he could never have succeeded, such were the vested interests arrayed against him. This outcome was — and is — a tragedy, because he was — and is — right. The bulk of Greek debt should indeed be cancelled outright. Read and weep -- Martin Wolf, Financial Times Summer ReadsAstonishing … not simply a political biography but a reflection on the nature and meaning of power in our times … This really is an important book … you should read it … This book could be a game changer if it shakes we the people from our compliant slumber as passengers within the sinking ship of contemporary high power * Open Democracy *Riveting … an extraordinary account of low cunning at the heart of Greece’s 2015 financial bailout … Admirably, he eschews denunciations, finding the human in his adversaries, even in his darkest moments * Observer *A blistering account ... should be required reading for David Davis and the government’s Brexit negotiating team * Scotsman *A fascinating reveal on the hidden world of what he calls the "deep establishment"… Varoufakis is a master of clarity and, as Theresa May prepares to steer the good ship GB through the dangerous shoals of Brexit, this is an invaluable account of how the political establishment really works * City AM *One of my few heroes. As long as people like Varoufakis are around, there still is hope -- Slavoj ŽižekTogether with Bernie Sanders, Varoufakis is the only other honest politician around -- Noam ChomskyThe most interesting man in the world * Business Insider *The Thucydides of our time -- Jeffrey SachsA brilliant economist * Bloomberg *Few finance ministers have such a talent for economics as Yanis Varoufakis -- Joseph StiglitzIt is important to take note of the ideas that Varoufakis continues to espouse … the essence of [his] agenda was – and remains – largely correct -- Mohamed El-ErianA global celebrity * Economist *His words about the European crisis speak universal truths about democracy, capitalism and social policy * Guardian *Timely and important * Big Issue *Timely and important * Big Issue *A whistle-blowing memoir that doubles as a penetrating analysis of the eurozone crisis, one caused in Varoufakis’s view by the stubbornness and ideological dogmatism of what he calls Europe’s “deep establishment.” As Britain prepares to enter exit negotiations with the EU, many will turn to this book for insights… Adults in the Room has a fly-on-the-wall quality that makes it a captivating read -- Chris Bickerton * Prospect *Passionate, indiscreet and forceful revenge on the smug elite of the European Union -- Colm Tóibín * Irish Times *Varoufakis’ book… should be required reading for anyone who believes that a Brexit outcome satisfactory to the UK is likely -- Richard Joyner * Times Higher Education *Outstanding -- William Hague * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis''A manual for the 21st-century citizen... accessible, refreshingly critical, relevant and urgent'' - Financial Times ''Fascinating and deeply disturbing'' - Yuval Noah Harari, Guardian Books of the Year In this New York Times bestseller, Cathy O''Neil, one of the first champions of algorithmic accountability, sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern life -- and threaten to rip apart our social fabric.We live in the age of the algorithm. Increasingly, the decisions that affect our lives - where we go to school, whether we get a loan, how much we pay for insurance - are being made not by humans, but by mathematical models. In theory, this should lead to greater fairness: everyone is judged according to the same rules, and bias is eliminated. And yet, as Cathy O''Neil reveals in this urgent and necessary book, the opposite is true. The models being used today are opaque, unregulated, and incontestable, even when they''re wrong. Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination. Tracing the arc of a person''s life, O''Neil exposes the black box models that shape our future, both as individuals and as a society. These weapons of math destruction score teachers and students, sort CVs, grant or deny loans, evaluate workers, target voters, and monitor our health. O''Neil calls on modellers to take more responsibility for their algorithms and on policy makers to regulate their use. But in the end, it''s up to us to become more savvy about the models that govern our lives. This important book empowers us to ask the tough questions, uncover the truth, and demand change.Trade ReviewFascinating and deeply disturbing -- Yuval Noah Harari * Guardian Books of the Year *This is a manual for the 21st-century citizen, and it succeeds where other big data accounts have failed - it is accessible, refreshingly critical and feels relevant and urgent -- Federica Cocco * Financial Times *Well-written, entertaining and very valuable -- Danny Dorling * Times Higher Education *O'Neil has become a whistle-blower for the world of Big Data... Her work makes particularly disturbing points about how being on the wrong side of an algorithmic decision can snowball in incredibly destructive ways * Time *Cathy O'Neil has seen Big Data from the inside, and the picture isn't pretty. Weapons of Math Destruction opens the curtain on algorithms that exploit people and distort the truth while posing as neutral mathematical tools. This book is wise, fierce, and desperately necessary -- Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not To Be WrongWeapons of Math Destruction is a fantastic, plainspoken call to arms. Cathy O'Neil's book is important precisely because she believes in data science. It's a vital crash course in why we must interrogate the systems around us and demand better -- Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother and co-editor of Boing BoingOften we don't even know where to look for those important algorithms, because by definition the most dangerous ones are also the most secretive. That's why the catalogue of case studies in O'Neil's book are so important; she's telling us where to look * Guardian *In today's world, if you want to change your fate you've got to pray at the altar of the algorithm... As math guru Cathy O'Neil argues in her newest book, these models are just the latest way America's institutions perpetuate bias and prejudice to reward the rich and keep the poor, well, poor. It's a nuanced reminder that big data is only as good as the people wielding it * Wired *Not math heavy, but written in an exceedingly accessible, almost literary style; her fascinating case studies of WMDs fit neatly into the genre of dystopian literature. There's a little Philip K. Dick, a little Orwell, a little Kafka in her portrait of powerful bureaucracies ceding control of the most intimate decisions of our lives to hyper-empowered computer models riddled with all of our unresolved, atavistic human biases -- Chris Jackson * Paris Review *O'Neil is an ideal person to write this book... She is one of the strongest voices speaking out for limiting the ways we allow algorithms to influence our lives and against the notion that an algorithm, because it is implemented by an unemotional machine, cannot perpetrate bias or injustice... While Weapons of Math Destruction is full of hard truths and grim statistics, it is also accessible and even entertaining. O'Neil's writing is direct and easy to read - I devoured it in an afternoon -- Evelyn Lamb * Scientific American *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[A] startling collection of essays . . . The passion and beauty of her voice is unabated . . . Azadi is the outcome of a life of writing from the frontline of solidarity and humanism, and from a writer who is perhaps only now reaching the height of her literary powers * Guardian *An eloquent and scorching indictment of the growing authoritarianism of Hindu nationalism . . . it is a tour de force * i *Azadi is a deeply-committed literary artist’s vision of what is wrong with our world today and a heartfelt appeal to join together to try and heal the wounds before it is too late * Telegraph India *

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest, most radical public thinkers of our time' ARUNDHATI ROY In these incisive interviews, activist Chomsky addresses the urgent questions of this tumultuous time, speaking to the deterioration of democracy in the United States and rising tensions globally.He examines the crumbling of the social fabric and the fractures of the Biden era, including the halting steps toward a Green New Deal, the illegitimate authority of the Supreme Court, in particular its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the ongoing fallout from COVID-19. Chomsky also untangles the roots of the War in Ukraine, the diplomatic tensions among the United States, China, and Russia, and considers the need for climate action on an international scale.Illegitimate Authority exposes those who wield power in their own self-interest and plots framework for how we can stand together and fight against injustice.''The West''s most prominent critic of US imperialism . . . the closest thing in the English-speaking world to an intellectual superstar'' Guardian''Will there ever again be a public intellectual who commands the attention of so many across the planet?'' New Statesman

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Book Synopsis*The International Bestseller*''Superb, hugely enjoyable ... a spirited examination of the hubris and hypocrisy of the super-rich who claim they are helping the world'' Aditya Chakrabortty, GuardianWhat explains the spreading backlash against the global elite? In this revelatory investigation, Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, showing how the elite follow a ''win-win'' logic, fighting for equality and justice any way they can - except ways that threaten their position at the top. But why should our gravest problems be solved by consultancies, technology companies and corporate-sponsored charities instead of public institutions and elected officials? Why should we rely on scraps from the winners? Trenchant and gripping, this is an indispensable guide and call to action for elites and citizens alike.Trade ReviewA splendid polemic. . . Giridharadas writes brilliantly on the parasitic philanthropy industry * Economist *Trenchant, provocative and well-researched. . . Read it and beware -- Martha Lane Fox * Financial Times Books of the Year *Hugely enjoyable. . . A spirited examination of the hypocrisy of the super-rich who claim they are helping the world -- Aditya Chakrabortty * Guardian *Entertaining and gripping . . . For those at the helm, the philanthropic plutocrats and aspiring "change agents" who believe they are helping but are actually making things worse, it's time for a reckoning with their role in this spiraling dilemma -- Joseph Stiglitz * New York Times Book Review *Giridharadas isn't afraid to speak his mind, even if it means taking down some of the most powerful people on the planet. . . He has started a movement with this scathing critique of a society that rewards monopolistic models, faux philanthropy and protects the interests of a wealthy few -- Tabitha Goldstaub * Forbes *A fierce book. . . What gives Giridharadas's heartfelt critique such force is that he is a heretic, someone chosen for the equivalent of the priesthood in the new religion of philanthropy who had a revelation and decided to renounce the faith -- Iain Martin * The Times *

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Book Synopsis'A characteristically radical re-reading of history that places the social and political experiments of pirates at the heart of the European Enlightenment. A brilliant companion volume to the best-selling Dawn of Everything' Amitav GhoshThe Enlightenment did not begin in Europe. Its true origins lie thousands of miles away on the island of Madagascar, in the late seventeenth century, when it was home to several thousand pirates. This was the Golden Age of Piracy - but it was also, argues anthropologist David Graeber, a brief window of radical democracy, as the pirate settlers attempted to apply the egalitarian principles of their ships to a new society on land.In this jewel of a book, Graeber offers a way to 'decolonize the Enlightenment', demonstrating how this mixed community experimented with an alternative vision of human freedom, far from that being formulated in the salons and coffee houses of Europe. Its actors were Malagasy women, philosopher kings and escaped slaves, exploring ideas that were ultimately to be put into practice by Western revolutionary regimes a century later.Pirate Enlightenment playfully dismantles the central myths of the Enlightenment. In their place comes a story about the magic, sea battles, purloined princesses, manhunts, make-believe kingdoms, fraudulent ambassadors, spies, jewel thieves, poisoners and devil worship that lie at the origins of modern freedom.Trade ReviewChatty, punky, anti-everything catnip... it is good fun. It's about pirates, after all. * Sunday Times *Engaging ... the chief pleasure of Graeber's writing is not that one always agrees with his arguments about the past. It is rather that, through a series of provocative thought experiments, he repeatedly forces us to reconsider our own ways of living in the present. Whatever happened in 18th-century Madagascar, Pirate Enlightenment implies, we could surely all do with a bit more free-thinking and egalitarianism in our own social, sexual and political arrangements. -- Fara Dabhoiwala * The Guardian *Open and imaginative... Graeber is writing in a hybrid genre of poetic history, in this sense, but he is also reminding us why such hybridisation is good for us. * New Statesman *A characteristically radical re-reading of history that places the social and political experiments of pirates at the heart of the European Enlightenment. A brilliant companion volume to the best-selling Dawn of Everything. -- Amitav GhoshFeisty, heroic ... a highly original thinker and a wonderful writer. -- Peter Frankopan * New York Times *A genius... blazingly original, stunningly wide-ranging, impossibly well read. * The Atlantic *A thinker who revolutionises the way we see the world and helps us reimagine the things we once took for granted. * New Statesman *PRAISE FOR THE DAWN OF EVERYTHING: Iconoclastic and irreverent ... an exhilarating read. -- David Priestland * The Guardian *Pacey and potentially revolutionary ... This is more than an argument about the past, it is about the human condition in the present. -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Blazing with iconoclastic rebuttals to conventional wisdom. Full of fresh thinking, it's a pleasure to read and offers a bracing challenge on every page. -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * BBC History *This is not a book. This is an intellectual feast. -- Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest, most radical public thinkers of our time' ARUNDHATI ROY Discover the essential guide to Chomsky and his brilliant ideas on the global state of affairsAn extraordinary collection of Chomsky''s speeches and his interviews with David Barsamian, edited by Arthur Naiman. With exceptional clarity and power of argument, Noam Chomsky lays bare as no one else can the realities of contemporary geopolitics.Including classic essays such as:* What Uncle Sam Really Wants* The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many* Secrets, Lies and Democracy* The Common GoodTrade ReviewThe world's greatest public intellectual * Observer *One of the finest minds of the twentieth century * The New Yorker *When the sun sets on the American empire, as it will, as it must, Noam Chomsky's work will survive -- Arundhati RoyA rebel without a pause -- Bono

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces readers to the concepts of political philosophy. It starts by explaining why the subject is important and how it tackles basic ethical questions such as ''how should we live together in society?'' It looks at political authority, the reasons why we need politics at all, the limitations of politics, and whether there are areas of life that shouldn''t be governed by politics. It explores the connections between political authority and justice, a constant theme in political philosophy, and the ways in which social justice can be used to regulate rather than destroy a market economy. David Miller discusses why nations are the natural units of government and whether the rise of multiculturalism and transnational co-operation will change this: will we ever see the formation of a world government?ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Why do we need political philosophy? ; 2. Political Authority ; 3. Democracy ; 4. Freedom and the Limits of Politics ; 5. Justice ; 6. Feminism and Multiculturalism ; 7. Nations, States, and Global Justice

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Book SynopsisSunday Times Smart Thinking Book of the Year 2022 New York Times Bestseller WINNER OF THE GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE AWARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Financial Times, The Times, Esquire, Prospect''When one of the world''s leading scholars of civil war tells us that a country is on the brink of violent conflict, we should pay attention. This is an important book'' Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, authors of How Democracies DieCivil wars are the biggest danger to world peace today - this book shows us why they happen, and how to avoid them.We are now living in the world''s greatest era of civil wars. While violence has declined worldwide, major civil wars are now being fought in countries including Iraq, Syria and Libya, and smaller civil wars are being fought in India and Malaysia. Even countries we thought could never experience another civil war - such as the USA, Sweden and Ireland - are showing signs of unrest. So how can we stop them?In How Civil Wars Start, acclaimed expert Professor Barbara F. Walter, who has advised on political violence everywhere from the CIA to the U.S. Senate to the United Nations, explains the rise of civil wars and the conditions that create them - not least when countries are not quite democratic. As democracies across the world backslide and citizens become more polarised, civil wars will become even more widespread and last longer than they have in the past - but this urgent and important book shows us a path back toward peace.Trade ReviewWhen one of the world's leading scholars of civil war tells us that a country is on the brink of violent conflict, we should pay attention . . . This is an important book -- Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, authors of How Democracies DieAn absorbing guide ... this book performs a valuable service * Sunday Times *How Civil Wars Start is a stop sign for us. What an imperative book for our time. Read and act -- Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an AntiracistA bracing manual . . . . Indispensable -- Financial TimesLike those who spoke up clearly about the dangers of global warming decades ago, Walter delivers a grave message that we ignore at our peril -- David Remnick * The New Yorker *Polemical and essential -- James A. Robinson, co-author of Why Nations FailA vivid, compelling book on a globally vital issue. Timely, important and original -- Professor Richard English, author of Does Terrorism Work? A HistoryBarbara F. Walter has drawn on decades of experience and unparalleled expertise to write a powerful and indispensable book. How Civil Wars Start brilliantly illuminates the history of civil wars and the profound dangers to our union today, serving as both a warning about the stakes in our politics and a call to action for those who want to preserve multiethnic democracy and the values that America is supposed to stand for -- Ben Rhodes, author of After the Fall

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Book SynopsisThe age of party democracy has passed, argues Peter Mair in Ruling the Void. The major parties have become so disconnected from society that they no longer seem capable of sustaining democracy in its present form.First published in 2013, Ruling the Void presciently observed that the widening gap between citizens and their political leaders posed a crisis of legitimacy for the governing class, and was fuelling populist mobilizations against it. Europe's political elites had remodelled themselves as a homogeneous professional class, withdrawing into state institutions that offer relative stability in a world of fickle voters. Meanwhile, non-democratic agencies and practices proliferated - not least among them the European Union itself. Mair weighs the impact of these changes, and offers an authoritative assessment of the prospects for popular political representation today, not only in the varied democracies of Britain and the EU but throughout the developed world.With a new Introduction by Chris Bickerton, author of The European Union: A Citizen's Guide.Trade ReviewA deep and prophetic analysis. -- John McDermott * Financial Times *So original, perfectly crafted, accurate and true that you can't get it out of your head. -- Peter Oborne * Telegraph *A canary in the coalmine that pointed to the real dangers of democratic decline before they were widely acknowledged. -- Anne Applebaum * Guardian *Essential reading for anyone concerned with twenty-first century politics. -- Wolfgang Streeck * New Left Review *Mair's brilliance as a political scientist comes through clearly. The evidence he marshals is overwhelming. -- Jan-Werner Müller * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisStarting from the observation that the European Union now possesses many of the attributes of modern political systems, Hix and Høyland take an innovative approach to analysing, researching and teaching the EU. Using the general theories of political science to understand how the EU works, this text covers each of the main processes in the EU political system - executive, legislative and judicial politics, public opinion, interest groups and democracy, and regulatory, monetary and foreign policies - introducing the key political science tools, reviewing the relevant theories, and applying the knowledge in detailed descriptive analysis. As well as incorporating new data and the latest research, this new edition examines the consequences of the dramatic political and policy developments in the EU over the past decade. The methodology used in the text makes the political system of the EU accessible to political science students as a whole, as well as those specifically studying and reTrade ReviewThe study of the European Union should be firmly grounded on the latest scholarship, address the enduring questions with which scholars grapple, and employ the most appropriate analytical tools. The Political System of the European Union delivers on all these fronts. * Fabio Franchino, Professor of Political Science, University of Milan, Italy *This is the first and only book of its kind that fully marries our understanding of the EU with the broader political science literature. Even in its fourth edition the book continues to be a transformative tour de force. * Raj Chari, Professor in Political Science, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland *The Political System of the European Union is the ultimate introductory text for understanding the institutional design of the EU, how the EU works, the political opportunities and constraints under which it operates, and the major policies it has produced. Presenting key facts and rich empirical detail through the lens of state-of-the-art theories, the book places the EU in a comparative perspective, increasing its broader appeal. In a nutshell, this book is an essential read and an indispensable asset for all who study, teach, research, or are curious about the EU. * Nikoleta Yordanova, Associate Professor of European Politics, Leiden University, the Netherlands *For more than two decades, this has been the go-to title for those wanting to understand the EU as a system, with its integration of cutting-edge research and solid core principles. There is no better single-volume text that gets into the mechanics of European integration. * Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics & International Studies, The Open University, UK *A much anticipated new edition of a classic book on the institutions, politics, and policies of the European Union. Exceptionally well-written, this fourth edition reaches the optimal balance between scientific rigor and pedagogical detail and analyses the EU in light of key theories of, and research on, comparative politics. The book is a must read for scholars and students of EU and comparative politics alike. * Adriana Bunea, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen, Norway *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Explaining the EU Political System PART I: GOVERNMENT Executive Politics Legislative Politics Judicial Politics PART II: POLITICS Public Opinion Democracy, Parties and Elections Interest Representation PART III: POLICIES Regulation of the Single Market Expenditure Policies Economic and Monetary Union Interior Policies Foreign Policies Conclusion: A Political System in Crisis?

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Book SynopsisSince its’ inception, the European Union has developed to become an open and transparent system which is democratically accountable to more than five hundred million European citizens. James Elles explains how the EU functions, emphasising the emerging role of the European Parliament in the process. Elles reviews the history of Britain’s relationship with the EU and illustrates how a reluctance to consult the British people on multiple Treaty changes led to a lack of understanding about Brussels. Looking to the future, Elles assesses the global long-term trends that lie ahead to 2030 and underlines that closer European cooperation, for example on environmental and digital policies, will help them to be more easily resolved. As the next decade unfurls, the EU with President Macron at the forefront of the debate will progress and the European Parliament will continue to develop as a platform for the voice of the European people. From the disinterest of political leaders to the ambitions of emerging nations, Fiction, Fact and Future is not only a guide to why Britain failed to make the most of its EU membership, but also an optimistic message to a younger generation to help shape their future in the 21st century.Trade ReviewPraise for Haus Curiosities series: "The thinking person's commuting read."--Independent

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Book SynopsisA provocative exploration about the architecture of power, the forces that stifle us from getting things done, and how we can restore confidence in democratically elected government.

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Book SynopsisThe 21st century has not seen the triumph of democracy that some predicted but instead, in many cases, a turn towards authoritarian forms of government as an imagined solution to the many crises facing humanity. This innovative and important book draws on examples from around the world to examine the spread of draconian and nationalistic forms of government: a lurch towards ‘authoritarian protectionism’ which observes a simple maxim, that ‘the world may end for others, but not for us’. While there is hope that the COVID-19 crisis could lead to a reinvigoration of democracy and a new economic agenda, there is also the risk of a further slide towards authoritarian rule and an urgent need for democratic renewal and change to combat this. The novel conceptualization offered in this book will give readers a new and deeper insight into the changing nature of the authoritarian threat to democracy – and how it might be overcome.Trade Review"It is a great research primer for all scholars in the field, and an informative work for curious readers who want to strengthen their understanding of contemporary events with robust knowledge." The London School of Economics and Political ScienceTable of Contents1. On the March 2. Them and Us 3. 'I Will Protect You' 4. Pandemic Politics 5. Sino-America 6. Authoritarian Futures?

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Book SynopsisThe culmination of a lifetime’s work by the celebrated journalist and historian Paul Foot, The Vote tells the thrilling story of how the universal franchise was secured in Britain, and the slow erosion that followed. Foot takes readers from the smoke-filled church of the Putney Debates to the incendiary arguments between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke in the aftermath of the French Revolution, to the rise of Chartism and the fight for women’s suffrage. Throughout, Foot shows how vested interests first delayed and then hobbled the progress of democracy.Looking to the twentieth century, Foot exposes the gaps between the promises of a succession of Labour governments and their actions once in power, and the party’s abandonment of any aspiration to economic democracy.Written with Paul Foot’s inimitable energy and engaging style, this is a classic work of history and a must-read for anyone interested in the origins of today’s political scene.

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Book SynopsisDemocracy operates on consent. That means politicians have to argue their causes and win consensus. But democracy has its flaws, not least in the lack of efficiency in the decision-making process. Above all, democracy requires honesty: in facing up to challenges, acknowledging fears and dangers, and admitting the limitations of government. In this new book, two figures of the British political establishment, John Major and Nick Clegg, share their thoughts on where democracy is heading and how it can survive in the 21st century. Major writes of the qualities on which a healthy democracy depends, as he deplores the coarsening of political exchange. Clegg writes of the ways in which political language has always involved trading insults and argues that echo chambers, although now more sophisticated, are nothing new. Compromise, Clegg insists, is not betrayal, but the very substance of our politics and our democracy.The Responsibilities of Democracy explores the overall health of UK democracy, giving a balanced analysis of its values and flaws. It is also a clarion call to the electorate and politicians to nurture and protect the gentle values on which democracy depends. No reader seeking to understand democracy can afford to ignore this book.Trade ReviewPraise for Haus Curiosities series: `The thinking person's commuting read.' - Independent

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Book SynopsisAuthoritarianism is one of the buzzwords of our age. But what is it exactly? This Very Short Introduction provides a comprehensive overview of the world of authoritarian regimes, including military, single-party, and personalist regimes. It considers how understandings of authoritarianism have evolved over time, as well as the curious fact that many authoritarian regimes today hold elections. Drawing on examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, James Loxton examines the life cycle of authoritarian regimes. How are they born? What challenges do they face during life? Why do they die? The author shows how factors such as natural resource wealth and cross-border collaboration can contribute to authoritarian durability. He also highlights the disturbing fact that even when authoritarian regimes collapse, voters often use their newfound democratic rights to send former authoritarian officials back to office.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2021The riveting story of a nation at a crucial crossroadsFrom the start of his stint as RTÉ''s Washington Correspondent Brian O''Donovan''s lively and authoritative reporting of a tumultuous period in American life has been must-watch TV.Four Years in the Cauldron is his account of four busy years working in the US. He draws a compelling picture, full of telling colour and detail, of covering its fractured politics, particularly the extraordinary presidency of Donald Trump and the knife-edge election of Joe Biden. And he gives his unique perspective on big stories such as the Covid emergency, the Capitol riot, the murder of George Floyd and trial and conviction of his police killer.He also provides a visceral sense of what it''s like living in a country shaped by guns, God, far-fetched conspiracy theories and the running sore of racism. Yet, drawing on his network of contacts, neighbours, friTrade Review[O'Donovan] captures well both the frenetic life of a reporter . . . and the Punch and Judy period in American politics that was the Trump presidency * Irish Times *An intriguing look at an extraordinary time . . . the book brings us to some fascinating places -- Ryan TubridyA great read * The Last Word with Matt Cooper *An amazing book, full of stories and anecdotes -- Neil Prendeville * Red FM *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of 50 People Who Buggered Up Britain, Quentin Letts, comes his blistering new book on how Britain''s out-of-touch, illiberal elite fills its boots.''HILARIOUS'' Daily Mail''With its vicious takedowns, Quentin Letts'' laugh-out-loud Patronising Bastards will have the lefty-elite running scared'' The SunNot since Marie Antoinette said ''Let them eat cake'' have the peasants been so revolting. Western capitalism''s elites are bemused: Brexit, Trump, and maybe more eruptions to follow. But their rulers were so good to them! Hillary Clinton called the ingrates ''a basket of deplorables'', Bob Geldof flicked them a V sign, Tony Blair thought voters too thick to understand the question. Wigged judges stared down their legalistic noses at a surging, pongy populous.These people who know best, these snooterati with their faux-liberal ways, are the ''Patronising BastTrade ReviewExcellent . . . funny, enjoyable and timely * Choice *Hilarious * Daily Mail *An important social text . . . beautifully written - but do not be fooled by its humorous tone. Patronising Bastards makes some serious political points -- Peter Oborne * Daily Mail *The political columnist at his lacerating best -- Allison Pearson * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsisaeo This is Habermasa s long--awaited work on law and democracy. aeo It develops a distinctive account of the nature of law and an original concept of democracy. aeo As one of Habermasa s most important works, it will be recognized as a major contribution to current debates in social theory, political theory, and philosophy.Trade Review'Rich, important ... proceeding through the magisterial scrutiny of theoretical approaches in law, sociology, philosophy and politics, it offers plenty for students of these disciplines to chew on.' Times Higher Education Supplement 'A significant development of his theory ... Rehg's translation of Between Facts and Norms is clear and precise and his Introduction helpful.' British Journal of Sociology 'In Between Facts and Norms, Habermas offers an inspiring and intellectually stimulating diagnosis of the predicament of modern law ... his contribution will undoubtedly have a lasting influence on this crucially important debate.' Democratization 'For at least a generation Jurgen Habermas's work has made a significant impact on a variety of important debates in philosophy and the social sciences. Between Facts and Norms ... brings together many of Habermas's earlier concerns and weaves them into a comprehensive and brilliant critical theory of actually existing democracy. From the perspective of the discipline of politics this is undoubtedly Habermas's most important work. Of course, Habermas's work is dense, challenging and incredibly broad in its range. It is also controversial, and this work will certainly not win over his most trenchant critics. None of this amounts to a valid excuse to ignore it. This book really is essential reading for anyone who is interested in exploring at depth the possibilities of realizing a genuinely democratic future.' Political Studies 'Such a scholarly intensity deserves to be read at first hand.' Sociology, Ian Roberts, Univerisity of Durham 'Eleven Years after his monumental Theory of Communicative Action (1981), Jürgen Habermas has again presented an opus magnum.' Otfried Höffe, Universität Tübingen, Mind Jürgen Habermas has been awarded the prestigious 'Friedenspreis des deutschen Buchhandels' prize for 2001Table of ContentsTranslator's Introduction. Preface. 1. Law as a Category of Social Mediation between Facts and Norms. 2. The Sociology of Law versus the Philosophy of Justice. 3. A Reconstructive Approach to Law I: The System of Rights. 4. A Reconstructive Approach to Law II: The Principles of the Constitutional State. 5. The Indeterminacy of Law and the Rationality of Adjudication. 6. Judiciary and Legislature: On the Role and Legitimacy of Constitutional Adjudication. 7. Deliberative Politics: A Procedural Concept of Democracy. 8. Civil Society and the Political Public Sphere. 9. Paradigms of Law. Postscript (1994). Appendices. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A thought-provoking and bleak worldview.”—Gideon Rachmann, Financial Times (A Financial Times Best Book of 2018) “Provocative and timely.”—John Gray, Literary Review “This book produces a much needed theoretical contribution which apart from taking to new heights the liberal/realist debate also brings to the forefront the influence of nationalism. [. . .] a very comprehensive and instructive text” —Arshid Iqbal Dar, Asian Affairs “Among post-Cold War treatises, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics remains unsurpassed in its command of the historical record. Mearsheimer's most recent book, The Great Delusion, poses more urgent questions about the present.”—Thomas Meaney, London Review of Books Winner of the the James Madison Award, sponsored by the American Political Science Association "This is the best of the many books that seek to explain how and why American foreign policy has gone so disastrously wrong. Mearsheimer hits the sweet spot where theory meets the chaos of today's world."—Stephen Kinzer, author of The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War "John Mearsheimer’s The Great Delusion is policy-relevant scholarship at its best: a summation of a leading scholar’s accumulated thinking about international relations theory and American foreign policy."—Christopher Layne, University Distinguished Professor of International Affairs, Texas A&M University "Liberal states have many virtues, but The Great Delusion explains, with rigorous logic and admirable clarity, why their efforts to spread their values are usually doomed to fail. Both liberal crusaders and unrepentant realists have much to learn from this compelling book.”—Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School "Idealists as well as realists need to read this systematic tour de force. Even if you don't agree, it will discipline your own thinking."—Robert D. Kaplan, author of The Return of Marco Polo's World: War, Strategy, and American Interests in the Twenty-First Century

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Book SynopsisNobel Prize winner Amartya Sen''s first great book, now reissued in a fully revised and expanded second edition''Can the values which individual members of society attach to different alternatives be aggregated into values for society as a whole, in a way that is both fair and theoretically sound? Is the majority principle a workable rule for making decisions? How should income inequality be measured? When and how can we compare the distribution of welfare in different societies?''These questions, from the citation by the Swedish Academy of Sciences when Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, refer to his work in Collective Choice and Social Welfare, the most important of all his early books. Originally published in 1970, this classic work in welfare economics has been recognized for its ground-breaking role in integrating economics and ethics, and for its influence in opening up new areas of research in social choice, including Trade ReviewWith his masterly prose, ease of erudition and ironic humour, Sen is one of the few great world intellectuals on whom we may rely to make sense out of our existential confusion -- Nadime GordimerAmartya Sen occupies a unique position among modern economists. He is an outstanding economic theorist, a world authority on social choice and welfare economics. He is a leading figure in development economics, carrying out path-breaking work on appraising the effectiveness of investment in poor countries -- Anthony B. Atkinson * New York Review of Books *The first edition in 1970 of this fine book was of immense importance and at the core of Amartya Sen's Nobel Prize. His contributions since, to our conceptions of rights, liberty, justice, identity, poverty, inequality and development, have been of still greater significance to our understanding of the fundamental challenges we face as individuals and societies in thinking about who we are and how we should act. The substantive and profound additions in this edition delve even deeper into the arguments of the original and relate them to the central questions and issues of his subsequent research and writing. Sen is one of the great minds of both the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We owe him a huge debt -- Nicholas Stern

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Book SynopsisWhat happens once democracy has been used up? When it has been hollowed out and emptied of meaning? This title provides an exploration of the political picture in India. It shows how the journey that Hindu nationalism and neo-liberal economic reforms began together in the early 1990s is unravelling in dangerous ways.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Completely invaluable. . . . A model of how American politics is working right now."---Ezra Klein, New York Times"Since 2000, we’ve stayed very close to 50-50 in presidential elections and control of Congress has bounced back and forth. . . . No wonder the political scientists John Sides, Chris Tausanovitch and Lynn Vavreck refer to our politics as 'calcified' in their important (and aptly titled) recent book on the 2020 election, The Bitter End."---E. J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post"The timely advice and analysis will pique the interest of readers interested in politics and government and will be a strong title to offer prior to election season." * Library Journal *"The authors compile a vast amount of statistical and survey data to identify what they call the 'tectonic shifts' transforming the American political landscape. . . . Recommended." * Choice *

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Book SynopsisDemocracy is the most effective way to give us control over the decisions that impact on our lives, but it must evolve. This book lays out a roadmap for a more accountable democracy, locally, nationally and internationally that will give us greater influence over the decisions that impact our communities.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Playing by the rules 1. The importance of democracy 2. The evolution of democracy 3. Democracy as a system 4. Paying by the rules 5. The rules for politicians 6. The rules for public services 7. The rules for us Conclusion: Refereeing democracy

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Book SynopsisThe Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 articles and essays written under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution. The Federalist Papers are notable for their opposition to what later became the United States Bill of Rights. The idea of adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution was originally controversial because the Constitution, as written, did not specifically enumerate or protect the rights of the people, rather it listed the powers of the government and left all that remained to the states and the people. Alexander Hamilton, the author of Federalist No. 84, feared that such an enumeration, once written down explicitly, would later be interpreted as a list of the only rights that people had.The first 77 of The Federalist Papers were published serially in the Independent Journal, the New York Packet, and The Daily Advertiser between October 1787 and April 1788. The original plan was to write a total of 25 essays, the work divided evenly among the three men. In the end they wrote 85 essays in the span of six months. Jay wrote five, Madison wrote 29, and Hamilton wrote the remaining 51.This case laminate collector''s edition includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket. 

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, the promises of the populist moment have faltered, as seen in the defeats of Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders, Jean-Luc Melenchon. In addition, the pandemic has brought about a strong need for protection, creating a favorable terrain for authoritarian forms of politics. This new situation represents a challenge for the left, whose rationalism and modernist idea of progress is rightly suspicious of such demands. How, therefore, can the left deal with the economic, social and ecological crisis that the pandemic has brought to the fore? Chantal Mouffe argues that the left should not underestimate the importance of affects when developing a strategy for political change. In fact, after years of 'post-politics', we are witnessing a 'return of the political'. And in response Mouffe proposes the creation of a broad coalition of movements under the banner of a 'Green Democratic Revolution'. This entails the protection of society and its material conditions in a way that empowers people instead of making them retreat in a defensive nationalism or in a passive acceptance of technological solutions. It is protection for the many, not the few, providing social justice and fostering solidarity.Towards a Green Democratic Revolution is a bold rallying cry for political organisation in the post-pandemic era.Trade ReviewMouffe is unrepentant. Her new book, Towards a Green Democratic Revolution, maintains that left populism is more relevant than ever in light of climate breakdown and the Covid pandemic. -- Oliver Eagleton * New Statesman *Praise for For a Left Populism * : *Influencing left parties as they enter government, from Greece to Portugal to Mexico. It is a beach-sized introduction to a major left thinker of the twenty-first century. -- Paul Mason * Guardian *An admirable attempt to get us thinking again about what a worthwhile politics might look like, one based on notions of equality, ecology, sovereignty, solidarity and social justice -- Gavin Jacobson * New Statesman *Refreshingly bereft of the sputtering outrage and bafflement that characterizes the growing genre of liberal self-help books, Mouffe channels populism's agonistic clarity -- Thea Riofrancos * n+1 *Praise for Agonistics * : *Mouffe represents a position that every serious student of contemporary political thought must acknowledge and come to terms with * Philosopher's Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe first panoramic history of the Western world from the 1970s to the present day: Empire of Democracy is the story for those asking how we got to where we are.Trade ReviewFormidably ambitious... boldly attempts to paint a thematic portrait of the world's democracies and delivers an argument that leaders grounded these political structures on free-market economics... There is much to admire in Reid-Henry's book * Financial Times *Brilliantly, Reid-Henry calls for the salvation of democracy from the choices of its own leaders - if it is to survive * Samuel Moyn, Yale University *[Empire of Democracy] yields insights that help us understand our present and imagine the possibilities of our future... The frontiers of the future can sometimes be discerned by studying the plains of our past. This book allows the reader to do both. * Sunday Business Post Ireland *A monumental and nuanced history of the past half-century * Irish Times *Simon Reid-Henry has written a superbly informed and riveting historical analysis of our contemporary era, which opened in the 1970s and, as he brilliantly demonstrates, continues to transform the premises of Western democracies * Charles S. Maier, Harvard University *Praise for Fidel and Che * . *As exciting and readable as a Cold War thriller * The Times *Gripping . . . deeply impressive . . . rigorously sourced * Independent *A lucid, pulsating study . . . skilfully drawn * Economist *Absorbing * Sunday Times *Reid-Henry makes the case for seeing our recent past as a distinct period, as well as showing that this era is drawing to a close. He does this convincingly, stylishly and with verve. This is as good a general account as we have of democracy's dysfunctions and discontents over the last 50 years, and a significant improvement on most of the books published recently on our current disorders... in this fine book he has at least provided some starting points for thinking about what we need to do next to overcomes the morbid systems of our age and build something new. * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisDrawing on Winnicott and Hannah Arendt, Public Things: Democracy in Disrepair develops a lexicon for a political theory of public things. Indigenous activism, racial inequality, and democratic citizenship; care, concern, hope, and play all figure in readings of contemporary events and literary, film, and political theory (Tocqueville, Melville, von Trier).Trade Review"A fast-paced tour de force. Honig explores the role of public things in democratic politics, especially against the background of neoliberal privatization." -- -John Seery George Irving Thompson Memorial Professor of Government and Professor of Politics, Pomona CollegeTable of ContentsPreface: Opting Out Introduction: Thinking Out Loud Lecture One: Democracy's Necessary Conditions Lecture Two: Care and Concern: Arendt with Winnicott Lecture Three: Hope and Play: Lear and von Trier Epilogue: Public Things, Shared Space, and the Commons Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJacques Derrida was one of most influential philosophers of the 20th century. In The Politics of Friendship he explores the idea of friendship and its political consequences, past and future in order to explore invention of a radically new friendship, of a deeper and more inclusive democracy.Trade ReviewAs Jacques Derrida shows in The Politics of Friendship, many great meditations on friendship-by Cicero, by Montaigne, by Bataille, by Blanchot-are also meditations on mourning ... For Derrida, death lays bare the essential separateness of the friend not only in death but also in life. -- Merve Emre * New Yorker *

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