Right-of-centre democratic ideologies and movements Books

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is dynamite' - Caroline Lucas 'Fantastic' - Mark RuffaloWe live under an ideology that preys on every aspect of our lives: our education and our jobs; our healthcare and our leisure; our relationships and our mental wellbeing; the planet we inhabit the very air we breathe. So pervasive has it become that, for most people, it has no name. It seems unavoidable, like a natural law. But trace it back to its roots, and we discover that it is neither inevitable nor immutable. It was conceived, propagated, and then concealed by the powerful few. Our task is to bring it into the lightand to build a new system that is worth fighting for. Neoliberalism. Do you know what it is?

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Priestdaddy caused a sensation when it hit bookshelves in 2017'' Vogue ''Glorious'' Sunday Times''Laugh-out-loud funny'' The Times''Extraordinary'' Observer''Exceptional'' Telegraph''Electric'' New York Times''Snort-out-loud'' Financial Times''Dazzling'' Guardian''Do yourself a favour and read this memoir!'' BookPageWINNER OF THE THURBER PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOURThe childhood of Patricia Lockwood, the poet dubbed ''The Smutty-Metaphor Queen of Lawrence, Kansas'' by The New York Times, was unusual in many respects. There was the location: an impoverished, nuclear waste-riddled area of the American Midwest. There was her mother, a woman who speaks almost entirely in strange riddles and arnings of impending danger. Above all, there was her gun-toting, guitar-riffing, frequeTrade ReviewGlorious * Sunday Times *Extraordinary * Observer *Electric * New York Times *Exceptional * Telegraph *Snort-out-loud * Financial Times *Dazzling * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 BY THE TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, LONDON EVENING STANDARD, DAILY MAIL AND BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE''Magisterial ... If anyone wants to know what has been happening to Britain since the 1950s, it is difficult to imagine a more informative, or better-humoured guide ... a Thucydidean coolness, balance and wisdom that is superb.'' - AN Wilson, The Times ''Who Dares Wins captures the period with clairvoyant vividness. Compulsively readable, the book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to understand these pivotal years.'' - John Gray, New Statesman''Immaculately well-researched, breathtakingly broad and beautifully written ... Sandbrook leaves the reader impatient for the next volume.'' - Simon Heffer, Daily TelegraphThe acclaimed historian of modern Britain, Dominic Sandbrook, tells the story of the early 1980s: the most dramatic, colourful and controversial years in our recent history. Margaret Thatcher had come to power in 1979 with a daring plan to reverse Britain''s decline into shabbiness and chaos. But as factories closed their doors, dole queues lengthened and the inner cities exploded in flames, would her radical medicine rescue the Sick Man of Europe - or kill it off?Vivid, surprising and gloriously entertaining, Dominic Sandbrook''s new book recreates the decisive turning point in Britain''s recent story. For some people this was an age of unparalleled opportunity, the heyday of computers and credit cards, snooker, Sloane Rangers and Spandau Ballet. Yet for others it was an era of shocking bitterness, as industries collapsed, working-class communities buckled and the Labour Party tore itself apart. And when Argentine forces seized the Falkland Islands, it seemed the final humiliation for a wounded, unhappy country, its fortunes now standing on a knife-edge. Here are the early 1980s in all their gaudy glory. This is the story of Tony Benn, Ian Botham and Princess Diana; Joy Division, Chariots of Fire, the Austin Metro and Juliet Bravo; wine bars, Cruise missiles, the ZX Spectrum and the battle for the Falklands. And towering above them all, the most divisive Prime Minister of modern times - the Iron Lady.Trade ReviewLike its predecessors, Who Dares Wins is a rich mixture of political narrative and social reportage. It is scholarly, accessible, well written, witty and incisive. It fizzes with character and anecdote ... Superb. -- Piers Brendon * The Sunday Times *Magisterial ... If anyone wants to know what has been happening to Britain since the 1950s, it is difficult to imagine a more informative, or better-humoured guide ... a Thucydidean coolness, balance and wisdom that is superb. -- AN Wilson * The Times *Superb ... Immaculately well-researched, breathtakingly broad and beautifully written. One defies anyone, even a specialist, not to learn something from it ... Sandbrook leaves the reader impatient for the next volume. -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph *Painstaking, enjoyable, even-handed ... you may feel a nice balance of piquancy and poignancy in having those years brought to life by the historian's magic wand. -- Anthony Quinn * The Observer *Brilliant ... The political manoeuvrings of 1979-82 are traced with a novelistic verve that would have done credit to House of Cards. -- Tom Holland * BBC History Magazine *Dominic Sandbrook's great chronicle of Britain locates the big political narrative always in a wider social context than just by-election swings and Westminster roundabouts ... It all comes flooding back. -- Charles Moore * The Spectator *This is vividly panoramic history, ranging from high affairs of state to the tiniest textural details of everyday life ... His sources are joyously eclectic ... We wait impatiently for the next course of this richly satisfying historical feast. -- Francis Wheen * Literary Review *A magnificent history ... Who Dares Wins captures the period with clairvoyant vividness. Compulsively readable, the book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to understand these pivotal years. -- John Gray * New Statesman *Masterful, mammoth ... rich and rewarding ... One of the book's great strengths is that although we know how the story will end we are still kept in suspense - not because of doubts over the outcome, but because Sandbrook situates the reader firmly back in those crucial years ... The result is a full and rich account of the period. -- John McTernan * Financial Times *Worth every penny, an enjoyable romp ... It's a great read. -- Paul Donnelley * The Daily Express *A magisterial history of three momentous years ... the author succeeds triumphantly. -- Patrick Heren * The Article *You don't have to have grown up with the Mini Metro, Lymeswold cheese and the Sinclair Spectrum v BBC Micro to adore this brilliant history of the Eighties. It slides compellingly from socialism to Soft Cell's Tainted Love and made me want to be 10 again, bewildered by the Falklands War on TV. -- Julian Glover * London Evening Standard *Praise for THE GREAT BRITISH DREAM FACTORY: Delightfully good ... an exuberant and learned celebration of British culture. -- Nick Cohen * The Observer *Not only thoroughly entertaining, but crammed with as many serious insights as a shelf-full of academic studies. -- Alwyn W Turner * The Telegraph *Relentlessly entertaining. -- Daisy Goodwin * The Sunday Times *I read it in less than two days, my attention never flagging ... It is dramatic, perceptive and often extremely funny. -- John Preston * The Spectator *Terrific fun ... Sandbrook isn't like other historians ... He heads off down strange, neglected byways, teasing out unexpected connections, with the results often proving far more illuminating - and enjoyable - than conventional narratives ... I defy you not to be swept up in a narrative that's as colourful as it is dramatic. -- John Preston * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisKen Livingstone is a product of the political changes that have already taken place in the Labour Party. As Leader of the Greater London Council he has provided a voice and a vision for tens of thousands of party activists and Labour supporters, in the process implementing a set of measures that indicate the possibilities of a real alternative to Thatcherism. His determined opposition on the Falklands War, subsidised public transport, Ireland, the 1984 miners strike, sexual liberation and racism has made him a far more effective spokesperson for Labour than the shadow luminaries who occupy the front benches in the House of Commons.In these fascinating conversations with Tariq Ali, the Marxist writer and activist debarred from the Labour Party by Kinnock/Hattersley, the two men discuss the future of Labour and socialist politics in Britain. What emerges is a picture of Livingstone as a formidable socialist politician and an adroit tactician, who displays a refreshing ability to

Read more less

Book SynopsisA 'gripping, succinct and lethal' (Matthew Parris, THE TIMES) reappraisal of the life of Benjamin Disraeli, the most celebrated and colourful politician of the nineteenth century.Trade ReviewWere the hatchet a less brutal tool, this gripping, succinct and lethal book would deserve the name of hatchet job. The authors get right inside their subject and stay there; this is where their work is done; and, before the reader's eyes and wholly unassaulted, Benjamin Disraeli dies from the inside. Disraeli was not a "one-nation" politician. He neither used the phrase nor implied the idea. Hurd and Young bring to life his wishful dream of the order of things that he had himself mythologised, and wished to protect: nobility, breeding, monarchy, finery, feasting, good-looking young men and grand old ladies. -- Matthew Parris * THE TIMES *Twice a prime minister and a dazzling parliamentarian, Disraeli was actually motivated by fame and was barely a democrat, according to this fascinating character study. * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *The virtue of Douglas Hurd and Edward Young's sparkling new study lies in its succinctness and the analytical skills of its authors * FINANCIAL MAIL (South Africa) *The great Victorian prime minister Benjamin Disraeli has become a political football lately, with Ed Miliband and David Cameron both staking claims to his 'One Nation' legacy. But as Douglas Hurd and Edward Young show, he never even used the phrase. Disraeli's faults and virtues are carefully examined in this hugely impressive biography. * IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY *Former British Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd, and British Prime Minister David Cameron's former speech writer Edward Young vividly bring to life Disraeli's persona in their book Disraeli or Two Lives... The book has wonderful anecdotes especially to do with Disraeli's colourful private life... He made politics interesting, colourful and engaging and that is why Disraeli is one of those few British politicians whose life story has been chronicled by Hollywood * THE TIMES OF ISRAEL *What distinguishes this volume is its accessibility and clear-sightedness. -- Dominic Sandbrook * SUNDAY TIMES *An engaging reassessment of the paradoxes at the heart of Disraeli's "two lives": a dandy and a gambler on the one had, a devoted servant and favourite of Queen Victoria on the other. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Disraeli's faults and virtues are carefully examined in this hugely impressive biography * THE MAIL ON SUNDAY *What distinguishes this volume is its accessibility and clear-sightedness. -- Dominic Sandbrook * SUNDAY TIMES *An engaging reassessment of the paradoxes at the heart of Disraeli's "two lives": a dandy and a gambler on the one had, a devoted servant and favourite of Queen Victoria on the other. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Disraeli's faults and virtues are carefully examined in this hugely impressive biography * THE MAIL ON SUNDAY *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn recent years, the once familiar landscape of British politics has fundamentally changed. The Conservative Party in particular has undergone a profound transformation. Centre-right values that steered British politics for decades – internationalism, respect for the rule of law, fiscal responsibility, belief in our institutions – were cast aside in the wake of the Brexit referendum to the detriment of UK prosperity, electoral trust and the long-term fortunes of the Conservative Party. But this radical rightwards shift can and must be reversed. In this bold intervention, David Gauke and other leading figures on the centre right – including Michael Heseltine, Rory Stewart, Amber Rudd, Gavin Barwell and Daniel Finkelstein - explore how the Conservative Party morphed into a populist movement and why this approach is doomed to fail. Together they make the case for a return to the liberal centre right, arguing with passion and conviction that the values that once defined the best of British conservatism remain essential both to the party and to the UK’s political future.Trade Review"A superb case for the centre-right of politics – and a classic indictment of the deceptions of populism."—The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH"In an era of superficial sloganising and breathless soap opera it is easy to forget that what really matters in politics is ideas. This book is brimful of them. The Case for the Centre Right deserves to be at the heart of any debate about how to revive the Conservative Party and the country."—Nick Robinson"A timely and compelling intervention in the debate on the future of Conservatism."—Andrew Gamble, University of Sheffield“thoughtful and thought-provoking”—Stephen Bush, Financial Times“I can recommend The Case for the Centre Right, edited by David Gauke, which includes intelligent essays by contributors such as Rory Stewart, Dominic Grieve and Amber Rudd.”—Matthew D’Ancona, Prospect“The Case for the Centre Right contains much that is needed. All those who care for moderation in politics, from the centre left as well as the centre right, should applaud David Gauke for assembling an excellent collection of essays that sets out the issues starkly.”—William Waldegrave, New Statesman “In The Case for the Centre Right, David Gauke, Rory Stewart and other unfashionable types anatomise populism with cool intelligence.”—Daniel Hannan, Telegraph

Read more less

Book Synopsis*THE INSTANT TOP TWO SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, UPDATED WITH A NEW CHAPTER AT PAPERBACK*Longstanding Labour MP Chris Bryant tells the inside story of what went so wrong with Westminster and how we might solve it.The extraordinary turmoil we have seen in British politics in the last few years has set records. With the last government, we had the fastest turnover of ministers in our history and more MPs suspended from the House than ever. Rules were flouted repeatedly, sometimes in plain sight. The government seemed unable to escape the brush of sleaze. And just when we thought it was all going to calm down a bit, another scandal would break. Having spent years as Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges, Chris Bryant had a front-row seat for the battle over standards in our politics. Taking us inside the Pugin-carpeted corridors of Westminster, from the prime minister''s office to the Strangers'' Bar, he examines how parli

Read more less

Book Synopsis** WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER ** USA TODAY BESTSELLER ** PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY BESTSELLER ** NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ** With a simple majority on the Supreme Court, the left would have the power to curtail or even abolish the freedoms that have made America a beacon to the world. We are one vote away from losing our most precious constitutional rights. As a Supreme Court clerk, solicitor general of Texas, and private litigator, Ted Cruz played a key role in some of the most important legal cases of the past two decades. In One Vote Away, you will discover how often the high court decisions that affect your life have been decided by the narrowest of margins. One vote preserves your right to speak freely, to bear arms, and to exercise your faith. One vote will determine whether your children enjoy their full inheritance as American citizens. God may endow us with "certain unalienable rights," but whether we enjoy them depends on nine judges—the "high priests" who have the last say in our system of government. Drawing back the curtain of their temple, Senator Cruz reveals the struggles, arguments, and strife that have shaped the fate of those rights. No one who reads One Vote Away can ever again take a single seat on the Supreme Court for granted.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this latest collection of essays Walter E. Williams takes on a range of controversial issues surrounding race, education, the environment, the Constitution, health care, foreign policy, and more. Skewering the self-righteous and self-important, he makes the case for what he calls the the moral superiority of personal liberty and its main ingredient - limited government.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensively updated new edition of the essential guide to the qualities and vulnerabilities of political leaders.

Read more less

"No one gets today's Washington like Ben Terris...THE BIG BREAK is the definitive accounting of 'how it works' in this ongoing post-Trump (pre-Trump?) maelstrom. I just imbibed this book." Mark Leibovich, author of This TownThe Big Break investigates how Washington works, and how different kinds of people try to make it work for them. Ben Terris presents an inside history of this crucial moment in Washington, reporting from exclusive parties, poker nights, fundraisers, secluded farms outside town and the halls of Congress; among the oddballs and opportunists and true believers. This book is about the people who see this moment as an opportunity to bet big-on their country or maybe just on themselves. It will take a close look at Washington's bold-faced names as they try to get their bearings on the post-Trump (and possibly pre-Trump) landscape. And it will introduce readers to the behind-the-scenes players - MAGA pilgrims and Resistance flame keepers and shapeshifting veterans - who believe they know what Washington, and America, must do if they're going to survive, or even thrive.Trump's arrival in Washington represented a big break in how the city operated. He surrounded himself with outsiders; power structures reorganized around those who knew him or his family and those who could flatter and influence his base. He changed the way the game was played, only it wasn't actually a game at all. When pro-Trump elements both inside and outside of government plotted to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election, the Capitol became a combat zone, then a military fortress. It was, to put it lightly, a destabilizing time. But how much did the Trump years really change Washington? Has Joe Biden's presidency heralded a return to normal, as many had hoped? What did 'normal' mean before Trump, and what do people think it means now? The Big Break will follow a cast of D.C. characters in search of answers to these questions. They are a diverse crew-a pollster with a gambling habit, an oil heiress with a big heart, a cowboy lobbyist, a Republican kingmaker who decided to love Trump and his right-hand man who decided he couldn't any longer. They all share at least one thing in common: They had seen their country go through a Big Break, and they'd come to get theirs.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 2014 European Parliament elections were hailed as a 'populist earthquake', with parties like the French Front National, UKIP and the Danish People’s Party topping the polls in their respective countries. But what happened afterwards? Based on policy positions, voting data, and interviews conducted over three years with senior figures from fourteen radical right populist parties and their partners, this is the first major study to explain these parties' actions and alliances in the European Parliament. International Populism answers three key questions: why have radical right populists, unlike other ideological party types, long been divided in the Parliament? Why, although divisions persist, are many of them now more united than ever? And how does all this inform our understanding of the European populist radical right today? Arguing that these parties have entered a new international and transnational phase, with some trying to be 'respectable radicals' while others embrace their shared populism, McDonnell and Werner shed new light on the past, present and future of one of the most important political phenomena of twenty-first-century Europe.Trade Review‘An excellent addition to the literature on populism.’ -- CHOICE'Highly original, interesting and accessible. McDonnell and Werner have produced the first comparative study of the most important form of international collaboration of populist radical right parties: groups within the European Parliament.' -- Cas Mudde, Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF Professor of International Affairs, University of Georgia; co-author of 'Populism: A Very Short Introduction' and author of 'On Extremism and Democracy in Europe''Simply the most comprehensive and compelling work on the radical right at the European level. Theoretically elegant, grounded in rich empirical scholarship, methodologically balanced, and well written — a must-read for anyone interested in international radical right cooperation.' -- Reinhard Heinisch, Professor of Comparative Austrian Politics and Chair of Political Science and Sociology, University of Salzburg'This book is ambitious, compelling and well-executed, challenging the common wisdom that, ultimately, these parties can’t cooperate and communicating that message in reader-friendly prose.' -- Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary, University of London, and author of 'European Politics: A Comparative Introduction''This excellent book, written by two leading researchers on populist parties, is on the cutting edge of the new ‘international’ turn in populism studies. Work on radical right parties has long been focused on explaining their origins and impact on domestic politics. This book is a significant contribution to a new research agenda that focuses on the international dimensions. It is a perfectly timed and significant contribution to the debate.' -- Christopher Bickerton, Reader in Modern European Politics, University of Cambridge, and author of 'European Integration: From Nation-States to Member States'

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARA crucial new guide to one of the most urgent political phenomena of our time: the rise of national populismAcross the West, there is a rising tide of people who feel excluded, alienated from mainstream politics, and increasingly hostile towards minorities, immigrants and neo-liberal economics. Many of these voters are turning to national populist movements, which have begun to change the face of Western liberal democracy, from the United States to France, Austria to the UK.This radical turn, we are told, is a last howl of rage from an aging electorate on the verge of extinction. Their leaders are fascistic and their politics anti-democratic; their existence a side-show to liberal democracy. But this version of events, as Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin show, could not be further from the truth.Written by two of the foremost experts on fascism and the rise of national populism, this lucid and deeply-reseaTrade ReviewCompelling ... Eatwell and Goodwin do a good job of demolishing lazy stereotypes about Trump and Brexit supporters being almost exclusively white and old ... Measured and insightful * Sunday Telegraph *A fascinating new study ... the authors analyse the long-term demographic and socioeconomic trends shaping our age of upheaval. The attraction of this book lies in its cool, dispassionate tone. The authors intend to explain and inform rather than polemicise -- Jason Cowley * The Sunday Times *Intelligent, counterintuitive ... [ranging] far beyond Brexit and Britain ... they put a parochial debate in a much bigger context * Economist *Valuable ... A finely organised, lucid explanation of the elements presently constituting the most dynamic political movements in Europe and the US -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *A useful corrective... it demolishes the myth that young people aren't attracted to the populist right -- Sarah Baxter * The Sunday Times *A reality check to any clinging to the hope that populism is a passing political squall ... Goodwin is one of the few academics to be vindicated by the political trends of the past few years. With a forensic grasp of the detail, Eatwell and Goodwin show how commentators have succumbed to "stereotypes that correspond with their outlook" rather than evidence-based conclusions -- Asa Bennett * Telegraph *Convincing, powerful and very definitely worth a read -- Robert Colvile, Director of CPS Think TankAn important and stimulating book .. well written, well argued, highly accessible to the lay reader, and mercifully free of political science jargon ... it leaves room for optimism for the future of our country -- Roger Liddle * Progress *An invaluable guide to the new politics of revolt ... Eatwell and Goodwin draw attention to the historic problem that liberalism has faced in accepting democracy. They give us the theoretical framework to understand national populism's rise ... Compelling -- Jon Holbrook * Spiked *Informative and often compelling, providing clarity around a number of key debates within political science and political theory [...] Usefully, they provide copious evidence that rightwing populism has been a long time in the making. -- Will Davies * Guardian *Unlike other authors, they do not write to warn and condemn, but to understand the movement ... Populist leaders are confrontational, mendacious and ruthless -- but those who follow them need to have their fears, resentments and beliefs addressed * Reuters *Superb ... one of the best of the post-Trump analyses -- Tim StanleyA provocative book, well worth reading -- Matthew Partridge * Moneyweek *Eatwell and Goodwin rightly point out that the UK's political and economic system is, for many people, broken -- Gavin Esler * The National *Readers may feel threatened by a rising tide of populism, but what, exactly, is it? National Populism offers penetrating and emancipating answers * The Times Literary Supplement, Books of the Year 2019 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2020 ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITINGThe final part of Charles Moore''s bestselling and definitive biography of Britain''s first female Prime Minister, ''One of the great biographical achievements of our times'' (Sunday Times)A TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR, TELEGRAPH, IRISH TIMES, NEW STATESMAN AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARHow did Margaret Thatcher change and divide Britain? How did her model of combative female leadership help shape the way we live now? How did the woman who won the Cold War and three general elections in succession find herself pushed out by her own MPs?Charles Moore''s full account, based on unique access to Margaret Thatcher herself, her papers and her closest associates, tells the story of her last period in office, her combative retirement and the controversy that surrounded her even in death. It includes the Fall of the Berlin Wall which she had fouTrade ReviewMoore has finally completed one of the most thrilling, comprehensive, fair-minded and elegantly written biographies of modern times. It is full of complex argument, and a very large cast, but it is a joy to read. -- Andrew Marr * New Statesman *Reviewers are supposed never to use the word "definitive" about a history book or biograph, but with Charles Moore's life of Margaret Thatcher, of which this is the triumphant last volume, one has no other option. ... an absolute masterpiece of the biographer's art. -- Andrew Roberts * Daily Telegraph *Moore's Margaret Thatcher is one of the truly great biographies. Throughout the three volumes it has been comprehensive and subtle, breaking new ground while being surefooted on familiar terrain. He provides a portrait of Thatcher - her anxiousness and her certainty, her strength and her frailty - that is surprising and fresh while still convincing. This volume completes a historical masterpiece. -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *Not merely the authorized biography, Moore's is the definitive biography of Thatcher, and perhaps one of the definitive books about Britain in the late twentieth century. -- Anne Applebaum * New York Review of Books *This is a magnificent political biography which takes its place next to Robert Blake's Disraeli and Robert Caro's Lyndon Johnson on the highest level. Outstanding... superb... extraordinarily compelling. -- Philip Hensher * Spectator *Praise for the first two volumes * : *As close as biography can come to being a work of art -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *One of the great biographical achievements of our times -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''His moral courage shines through from the start.'' - Sunday TelegraphThe definitive edition of the late Sir Roger Scruton''s philosophical and political essays and reviews, now collected in one volume.The philosopher Roger Scruton was the leading conservative thinker of the post-war years. In this book are assembled the very best of his essays and commentaries, arranged thematically. The selection has been made and edited by Mark Dooley, Scruton''s literary executor.Throughout this collection, Scruton proves himself to be at his most scintillating and controversial. He writes with passion and conviction about such varied topics as feminism, racism, fascism, Tony Blair and Donald Trump, as well as subjects like global warming, music and architecture. He takes aim at those who defy conservative common sense in favour of liberal falsehoods.This book shows Scruton at his most brilliant and demonstrates how his influence will remainTrade ReviewEvery piece is a masterclass in prose style and a reminder of how he earned such widespread popular affection…His moral courage shines through from the start. * Sunday Telegraph *This is inspirational thought delivered by graceful language about politics and aesthetics that will continue to attract and influence readers. * The Epoch Times *… A brilliantly stimulating selection of the journalism by the late Sir Roger Scruton… These are little masterpieces of philosophical polemic. * The Oldie *The writings expertly collected in Against the Tide go a long way to illuminating Scruton's humane and dignified conservatism. * Law and Liberty *On every page, the reader encounters a mind passionately at work, seeking to reconcile everyday problems with a moral sense. * The Washington Free Beacon *Against the Tide is a concise but rich selection of some of Scruton’s writings for various journals, magazines, and newspapers … What a pleasure to see so many of these pieces back in print … it is hard to imagine a better introduction to Scruton’s work than this wonderful, endlessly readable volume. -- Douglas Murray * The New Criterion *Over 40 years of Scruton’s columns and commentaries, published and unpublished, as well as diary entries are gifted to us in this remarkably concise but substantive volume. * The American Conservative *Reading Scruton will help us rekindle the search for what is good, true, and beautiful, and, more importantly, recognize them (and their opposites) when we see them. * The Interim *A collection of his finest writing. * Telegraph *Scruton stood apart in Britain as a thinker. His writing continues to illuminate, and he is sorely missed. * The Lady *Table of ContentsPreface: The Work That Must Be Done Part One: Who Am I? My Life Beyond the Pale Roger Scruton Says ‘Put a Cork in It’ My Week: July 2005 My Week: January 2006 My Week: April 2006 The Flame That Was Snuffed Out by Freedom Finding Scrutopia in the Czech Republic Diary – August 2016 Part Two: Who Are We? The Conservative Conscience The Blair Legacy A Question of Temperament The Meaning of Margaret Thatcher Identity, Marriage, Family: Our Core Conservative Values Have Been Betrayed What Trump Doesn’t Get About Conservatism Part Three: Why The Left Is Never Right The Ideology of Human Rights Who is a Fascist? In Praise of Privilege A Hominist Homily In Loco Parentis McCarthy Was Right on the Red Menace A Focus of Loyalty Higher than the State The Art of Taking Offence Part Four: Intimations of Infinity De Anima A Matter of Life and Deathlessness Dawkins Is Wrong about God Altruism and Selfishness Memo to Hawking: There’s Still Room for God Humans Hunger for the Sacred: Why Can’t the New Atheists Understand That? Part Five: The End of Education The Virtue of Irrelevance The Open University and the Closed Mind The End of Education The Plague of Sociology Know Your Place Universities’ War against the Truth Part Six: Fraudulent Philosophy A Note on Foucault The Triumph of Nothingness Freud and Fraud If Only Chomsky Had Stuck to Syntax Part Seven: The West and the Rest In Memory of Iran The Lesson of Lebanon Decent Debate Mustn’t Be the Victim The Wrong Way to Treat President Putin Why Iraq Is a Write-Off Part Eight: Cultural Corruption The Art of Motor-Cycle Maintenance Temples of Anxiety The Modern Cult of Ugliness High Culture Is Being Corrupted by a Culture of Fakes Part Nine: Animal Rights, Pulpit Politics and Sex Male Domination The Pestilence of Pulpit Politics On the Eating of Fish Obligations of the Flesh Eat Animals! It’s for Their Own Good Sextants and Sexting Tally Ho! Let the Hunt Remind Us of Who We Are Part Ten: Annus Horribilis and Last Words Diary After My Own Dark Night My 2019 Index

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisRoger Scruton looks at the central ideas of conservatism over the centuries. He examines conservative thinking on civil society, the rule of law and the role of the state on the one hand; and freedom (including freedom of expression and association), morality, equality, property and rights on the other. He traces the origins and development of the conservative ideology in the philosophies and thoughts of, among others, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Edmund Burke, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, John Ruskin, Michael Oakeshott, Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman and Robert Nozick. He shows how conservative ideas have worked out in the politics and policies of leading figures people such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Disraeli, the Earl of Salisbury, Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. He also looks closely at the degree to which capitalism and free markets have been, and are integral to, conservative ideology and politics in the UK and in the USA. Professor Scruton's clear, incisive guide is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the politics and policies of the west now and over the last three centuries.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom a twenty-year police veteran and former Trump supporter who nearly lost his life during the insurrection of January 6th, this instant New York Times bestseller is also an urgent warning that ?offers a stark message for this uncertain moment, making crystal clear the urgency and importance of defending our precious democracy? (Nancy Pelosi).When Michael Fanone self-deployed to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, he had no idea his life was about to change. When he got to the front of the line, he urged his fellow officers to hold it against the growing crowd of insurrectionists?until he found himself pulled into the mob, tased until he had a heart attack, and viciously beaten with a Blue Lives Matter flag as shouts to kill him rang out. Now, Fanone is ready to tell the full story of that infamous day, along with exploring our country?s most critical issues as someone who has had firsthand experience with many of them. A self-described redneck who voted for Trump in 2016, Fanone?s closest friend was an informant?a Black, transgender, HIV-positive woman who has helped him mature and rethink his methods as a police officer. With his unique insight as an undercover detective and intense desire to do the right thing no matter the cost, Fanone provides a nuanced look into everything from policing to race to politics in a way that is accessible across all party lines. Determined to make sure no one forgets what happened at the Capitol on January 6th, Fanone has written a timely and ?important? (Kirkus Reviews) call to action for anyone who wants to preserve our democracy for future generations.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow with a new paperback introduction''Vital reading'' Daily Telegraph''It turns conventional wisdom on its head'' Peter Oborne''Uniquely insightful'' Sunday Times''Eloquent, calm and clever'' Andrew MarrBritain has often found groups within its borders whom it does not trust, whom it feels have a belief, culture, practice or agenda which runs contrary to those of the majority. From Catholics to Jews, miners to trade unionists , Marxists to liberals and even homosexuals, all have at times been viewed, described and treated as ''the enemy within''. Muslims are the latest in a long line of ''others'' to be given this label. How did this state of affairs come to pass? What are the lessons and challenges for the future - and how will the tale of Muslim Britain develop? Sayeeda Warsi draws on her own unique position in British life, as the child of Pakistani immigrants, an outsider, who became an insider, the UK''s first Trade ReviewIslamophobia is the Ku Klux Klan hatred of our time. This book is an antidote to the hypocrisy around Islam that has become such a poison in our public life. Warsi holds everyone - the state, the press, our Muslim communities - to the same standards of integrity and self-reflection. It throws down a gauntlet for all of us: to read it, understand it, and argue with it, with as much good faith as the author's -- Clive Stafford Smith, Director of Reprieve and author of 'Bad Men' and 'Injustice'Forthright and intelligent ... By tackling the "Muslim problem" head on, Lady Warsi has added to her accomplishments the feat of speaking truth to power ... It is as enjoyable to read about her devout, enlightened mother as about the pivotal points in her political career ... Thrilling and satisfying -- Leila Aboulela * Guardian *The Enemy Within is such a comprehensive analysis it should be on the school syllabus as seminal ... It is only through the likes of Sayeeda Warsi that the UK stands any chance of establishing the social cohesion it needs with its Muslim population -- Sir Alan DuncanEloquent ... Calm and clever reflection -- Andrew MarrUniquely insightful -- Tim Shipman * Sunday Times *A unique perspective on British multiculturalism -- Afua Hirsch * Guardian *The Enemy Within is vital reading for decision-makers in Whitehall and Fleet Street. It shows that we need more of the quality that terrorists signally lack: empathy with those different from ourselves -- Sameer Rahim * Telegraph *A hard headed, well-informed and intellectually coherent analysis of policy towards British Islam. Much of what Baroness Warsi reveals is deeply shocking. Again and again it turns conventional wisdom on its head. It deserves to promote a public debate on this subject which has been needed for more than 20 years -- Peter OborneTimely and thoughtful -- Jenni Russell * Sunday Times *[Warsi is] a trailblazer ... [She] writes with conviction * Spectator *Sayeeda Warsi's integrity, intelligence and deep understanding of the challenges confronting the Muslim communities, the government and wider society make this a politically charged and invigorating read. A vital book at a critical time -- Helena Kennedy QCSayeeda Warsi traces the recent travails of British Islam through her own remarkable journey from a working-class childhood in Yorkshire to a seat at the Cabinet table. She is an unsparing critic, whether of Muslims who practise intolerance or media-driven politicians who find virtue in "non-engagement". But the conclusion of this thoughtful and passionate book offers hope amid the gloom: with fresh policies and a dash of courage, the beast of division can be starved, and Britain strengthened to make its way in the world -- David Anderson QC, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism LegislationThe book is a masterpiece of fine writing and wisdom. It is timely and much needed in rebutting the myths and fears that spread Islamophobia. It reaffirms the values of equal citizenship, free speech and the rule of law in our multicultural society. It is a wake-up call and a manifesto for politicians and media in combatting religious and racial discrimination -- Lord Lester of Herne Hill QCCompelling brave and honest -- Shazia Awan (Broadcaster and Activist)The Enemy Within has a refreshingly balanced approach - constructive critique of Muslim communities and government - and workable recommendations -- Salma YaqoobEngaging , thought provoking and a must read book by a trailblazer -- Qari Asim (Leading UK Imaam and Member of HM Government's Sharia Review)

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new understanding of the slow drift to extremes in American politics that shows how the anti-abortion movement remade the Republican PartyTrade Review“[Ziegler’s] argument [is] that, over the course of decades, the anti-abortion movement laid the groundwork for an insurgent candidate like Trump. . . . You get the sense that Ziegler could recite this history backward and forward.”—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times“In this thought-provoking book, Mary Ziegler traces how anti-abortion advocacy groups have transformed the landscape of US democracy. . . . Ziegler’s insights will benefit scholars, activists and party leaders seeking to understand the declining influence of the Republican establishment within US politics.”—Sara Angevine, International AffairsChoice Outstanding Academic Title 2022“Another tour de force scholarly performance from one of our very best—and nonpartisan!—historians of post-1970 America. Ziegler always takes conservatives seriously, and superior insight is the result.”—David J. Garrow, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Liberty and Sexuality and Bearing the Cross“As Mary Ziegler shows us in this incisive and important book, anti-abortion activists have shaped the GOP in ways that even they could not have anticipated. Everyone interested in the past and future of American politics should read this book.”—Laura Kalman, University of California, Santa Barbara“Dollars for Life illuminates a crucial and surprising component of anti-abortion advocacy since Roe: thwarted repeatedly in Congress and the courts, abortion opponents have sought to spend their way to legal and legislative victory. The very activists who have worked to strip constitutional protection for abortion rights have fought to extend constitutional protection for money in politics. Mary Ziegler’s eye-opening analysis reveals the anti-abortion movement’s pivotal role in undermining campaign finance laws and with them, unexpectedly, the Republican party establishment.”—Laura Weinrib, Harvard Law School“Dollars for Life exposes the largely hidden connection between abortion politics and campaign finance. Meticulously researched and enormously relevant, it will change how both pro-life advocacy and money in politics are understood.”—Andrew R. Lewis, author of The Rights Turn in Conservative Christian Politics

Read more less

Book SynopsisDemonstrations by far-right groups, such as the English Defence League, Britain First and PEGIDA, have caused considerable social and civic unrest in UK cities for nearly a decade. But how should policymakers respond to far-right and anti-Muslim activism? Drawing on extensive primary research with stakeholders, local authorities and policymakers, this book investigates the political, socio-economic and historic trends that fuel this form of political extremism across the UK. It also maps the different types of policy responses available to local politicians, police forces and behind-the-scenes policy officials involved in the day-to-day management of anti-Islamic street protest. The author demonstrates that it is only through developing successful countermeasures in the realm of politics, security and community-based politics that politicians, police and state actors will truly get to grips with this new far-right activism.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Why Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First?1 Context: The Rise of Anti-Islamic Protest and the Evolution of the UK Far Right2 What Policy Responses? UK National Policy Responses and Localised Countermeasures to Anti-Islamic Protest3 ‘Where it all began’ – Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First in Luton4 Early Responses to Anti-Islamic Protest – Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First in Birmingham 5 West Yorkshire’s Response to Anti-Islamic Protest – Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First in Bradford 6 ‘Somewhere near the Clock tower’ - Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First in Leicester7 Anti-Islamic Protest in London’s East End - Policy Responses to the EDL and Britain First in Tower Hamlets8. Conclusion - Key Findings, Recommendations and Future Responses

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1994, William F. Buckley, Jr., the conservative icon, received a letter from an eighteen-year-old aspiring pianist by the name of Lawrence Perelman, the son of Soviet Jewish immigrants.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlix Olson and Alex Zamalin offer a clear-eyed critical account of how neoliberalism has redefined resistance to thwart social movements and consolidate power.Trade ReviewResistance is a word that has lost its critical edge, as this book demonstrates. Olson and Zamalin name 'restorative resistance' the idea that a return to a pre-Trump era is sufficient. Their critique challenges our coalitions, but this is a challenge that must be taken up to make the change the world needs. Essential reading. -- Linda Martín Alcoff, City University of New YorkHow did suburban lawn signs, social media photo frames, and voter mobilization campaigns for moderate Democrats become 'resistance'? Soberly diagnosing the rise of 'restorative resistance' as the outcome of a decades-long deliberate neoliberal narrowing of the political life of democracy, Olson and Zamalin echo Michel Foucault's fundamental insight that what is called 'resistance' illuminates how power is exercised. Rightfully alarming readers about a hegemonic horizon of reform that prizes channeling people's capacities to endure economic and social injustices they should resoundingly reject, the authors offer compelling guides to reigniting radical imagination and praxis by joining deeply democratic struggles through which we work to reawaken demands for liberation, actual popular sovereignty, and the state itself as ours—in solidarity with each other and the planet—to reimagine. -- Jane Anna Gordon, author of Statelessness and Contemporary EnslavementThe Ends of Resistance sheds an illuminating light on the shocking ways elite media and politicians have appropriated Black political resistance and the #MeToo movement for corporate and individualistic ends. Olson and Zamalin challenge the ways 'anti-racist' tactics have been appropriated to reinforce racial capitalism in a powerful indictment of the nation’s lackluster political will, even among so-called radicals. -- Terrence L. Johnson, author of We Testify with Our Lives: How Religion Transformed Radical Thought from Black Power to Black Lives MatterTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1. The End of Resistance: Reformation Over Transformation2. Neoliberal Resistance: Privatizing Rebellion3. Democracy Domesticated: Resistance as Restoration4. Making Suspicious Citizens: Racializing and Criminalizing Resistance5. Unruly World Building: Toward a Critical Infrastructure of Demanding HopeNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur institutions have gone "woke." Everybody knows that. But nobody has come up with a way to stop it. Until now.In this hard-hitting new book, Senator Ted Cruz delivers a realistic battle plan for defeating the woke assault on America. The Democratic Party is now controlled by Cultural Marxists. So are our universities and public schools, the media, Big Tech, and Big Business. Corporations push transgenderism down their customers' throats. Banks punish gun shops. Hollywood insults our religious beliefs and grooms our children. The big investment companies use our retirement savings to promote leftist causes. And the Biden administration has turned our military into an indoctrination camp, neglected transportation safety to focus on climate change, and persecuted peaceful pro-lifers while leaving prochoice arsonists at large. The son of Cuban immigrants who fled communist oppression, Cruz is uniquely equipped to fight the woke revolution. He eloquently explains how Cultural Marxism got a foothold in America, how it progressed, and how, in precise steps, we can fight back to regain our institutions, regain our country—and win the future for our children. Bold, practical, and necessary, Unwoke is the book we need to restore the America we love.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first biography of Robert Welch, who founded the John Birch Society and planted some of modern conservatism’s most insidious seeds.Trade Review"The rise of Trump, Q-anon, and a Republican Party seemingly allergic to the ordinary canons of decency and expertise, has led historians to a reexamination of brands of American conservatism previously considered too extreme to be relevant to understanding the present. This work demands a rare combination of talents: an ability to empathize with ways of thinking from which reason recoils, and a moral sense that refuses to normalize it. Miller possesses both in abundance, which is what makes this groundbreaking biography of Robert Welch of the John Birch Society so very valuable."-- "Rick Perlstein, author of Reaganland: America's Right Turn, 1976-1980" "Miller has undertaken the definitive biography of John Birch Society founder Robert Welch, and he has succeeded. A Conspiratorial Life is incredibly thorough, carefully researched and written, and enlivened by energetic prose."-- "Heather Hendershot, author of Open to Debate: How William F. Buckley Put Liberal America on the Firing Line"Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Chowan County, North Carolina 1700–1899 2 Stockton, 1899–1910 3 Elizabeth City, Raleigh, Annapolis, 1910–1919 4 The Candyman, 1919–1927 5 Professional Breakdown and the Great Depression, 1928–1940 6 America First, 1940–1945 7 Postwar Dreams and Delusions, 1946–1950 8 The Candidate, 1950 9 May God Forgive Us, 1951–1952 10 There’s Just Something about Ike, 1952 11 A Republican Looks at His President, 1953–1954 12 The Saga of John Birch, 1954 13 Adventures in the Far East, 1954–1955 14 Arrivals and Departures, 1955–1958 15 The Indy Eleven, 1957–1959 16 Revelations, 1959–1960 17 Goldwater in ’60, 1960 18 Staccato Jabs, 1961–1962 19 Succession? 1961–1962 20 “Where Were You in ’62?,” 1962 21 Revolution in the Streets and the Paranoid Style in Belmont, 1963 22 Two Novembers, 1963–1964 23 Nadir, 1965–1966 24 Avenging the Insiders, 1966–1968 25 The Fifty-Foot Cabin Cruiser, 1969–1975 26 Bunker, 1970–1978 27 Making Morning in America . . . , 1970–1985 Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critical introduction to the sociology and politics of Emile DurkheimTrade Review'An important contribution to a glaring deficit in the sociological literature' -- Steven Loyal, Senior Lecturer, School of Sociology, University College DublinTable of ContentsPreface 1. Durkheim Declassified 2. Durkheim’s French Republicanism 3. The Division of Labour 4. Durkheim’s Method of Scientific Inquiry 5. Suicide 6. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life 7. Educating Republican Citizens 8. Socialism and Saint-Simon 9. The Limits to Durkheim’s Republican Sociology Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisConservatism is often labelled as a ‘disposition’, ‘tradition’, or even a set of knee-jerk reactions, rather than an ideology, and its suspicion of grand theorising has lent itself to this characterization. In this book, leading political theorist Edmund Neill challenges this view. He argues that conservatism is better identified as an ideology, albeit one that, rather than putting forward positive values like ‘liberty’ or ‘equality’, conceptualizes human conduct as being partially dependent on forces beyond human volition, and prioritizes the cautious management of change. He charts the evolution of conservative thought from the French Revolution to the present, examining how conservatives responded to disruptions to traditional order across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Drawing on examples from Britain, France and the United States, Neill concludes with some reflections on the challenges (and opportunities) that contemporary populism presents for conservatism. This accomplished overview is essential reading for any student or scholar working in political theory and political philosophy, especially those with a particular interest in ideologies and conservatism.Trade Review‘This deft and intelligent examination of conservative thought combines a strong emphasis on its comparative history with an acute understanding of its conceptual flexibility. Neill applies his highly effective analysis to the diverse contexts that reveal and illuminate conservatism’s nuances and layers.’Michael Freeden, University of Oxford ‘Over the last two centuries conservatives have stood for very different things at different times. Edmund Neill does full justice to this diversity of conservatisms while convincingly demonstrating that it makes sense to analyse it as a single political tradition.’Stuart Jones, Manchester UniversityTable of ContentsChapter 1 Defining Conservatism Chapter 2 Conservatism from the French Revolution to 1848 Chapter 3 Conservatism from 1848 to the First World War Chapter 4 Conservatism in the Era of the Two World Wars Chapter 5 Conservatism from the 1960s to the Present Epilogue Notes Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen most people think of the history of modern conservatism, they think of Ronald Reagan. Yet this narrow view leaves many to question: How did Donald Trump win the presidency? And what is the future of the Republican Party?In The Right, Matthew Continetti gives a sweeping account of movement conservatism's evolution, from the Progressive Era through the present. He tells the story of how conservatism began as networks of intellectuals, developing and institutionalizing a vision that grew over time, until they began to buckle under new pressures, resembling national populist movements. Drawing out the tensions between the desire for mainstream acceptance and the pull of extremism, Continetti argues that the more one studies conservatism's past, the more one becomes convinced of its future.Deeply researched and brilliantly told, The Right is essential reading for anyone looking to understand American conservatism.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs America continues down its path of polarization, a celebrated journalist tells us the deep story of the red-state/blue-state divide In the wake of Trump’s presidency, Republican-led states have joined in an alarming assault on our democratic system. But the drift toward authoritarianism in red states has far deeper roots. We now have a country where tens of millions of people live under regimes that have spent years starving education and health care, empowering polluters, engaging in voter suppression, and neglecting their citizens’ well-being in the interest of cutting taxes for the wealthy. In States of Neglect, journalist William Kleinknecht surveys the landscape of neglect in states including Texas, Florida, and Arizona through the experiences of a rich cast of characters. He visits environmental dead zones in the Texas Gulf region. He investigates Arizona’s abandonment of public education and its corrupt charter school industry. He shows how Mississippi’s denuded health care system has made the Magnolia State the sickest in the nation. And he explains how North Carolina allows its people to sink into poverty while catering to the needs of corporations. As a postscript, Kleinknecht proposes how progressive states on either coast might join in a compact of “progressive federalism” that uses their superior economic and cultural resources to counter the influence of the far right.Trade ReviewPraise for States of Neglect:“Copious evidence, impassioned prose, and astute political analysis make this a must-read for progressive policymakers and activists.”—Publishers Weekly“An impassioned critique of Republican state officials for the harm they cause their most vulnerable residents.”—Kirkus Reviews“States of Neglect examines how a myriad of initiatives under Republican governors have negatively impacted citizens in red states and beyond.”—Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2021: POLITICS BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "A must-read for anyone interested in the Supreme Court."—MIKE LEE, Republican senator from Utah Politics have always intruded on Supreme Court appointments. But although the Framers would recognize the way justices are nominated and confirmed today, something is different. Why have appointments to the high court become one of the most explosive features of our system of government? As Ilya Shapiro makes clear in Supreme Disorder, this problem is part of a larger phenomenon. As government has grown, its laws reaching even further into our lives, the courts that interpret those laws have become enormously powerful. If we fight over each new appointment as though everything were at stake, it’s because it is. When decades of constitutional corruption have left us subject to an all-powerful tribunal, passions are sure to flare on the infrequent occasions when the political system has an opportunity to shape it. And so we find the process of judicial appointments verging on dysfunction. Shapiro weighs the many proposals for reform, from the modest (term limits) to the radical (court-packing), but shows that there can be no quick fix for a judicial system suffering a crisis of legitimacy. And in the end, the only measure of the Court’s legitimacy that matters is the extent to which it maintains, or rebalances, our constitutional order.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMargaret Thatcher, prime minister between 1979 and 1990, was and continues to be a hugely divisive figure in Britain. Her influence on British politics has long outlived her, with the Conservative Party becoming steadily more Thatcherite than it was under her leadership, especially on economic issues. Policies that support privatization, curbs on trade unions and employment rights (to promote further labour market flexibility), reduction in welfare provision, the replacement of collectivism with individualism, and the marketization of public services, including the NHS and education, are all Thatcherism in practice, and still continue today. Peter Dorey offers a lively analysis of how Thatcherism became an ideology for politics to conjure with, its relationship with its eponymous leader and with the Conservative Party, as well as the long-term implications for the British people. He argues that the radical modernization of Britain that started under Thatcher’s leadership in the 1980s has created the conditions that have led to the polarization of British society today; a process that was profoundly unconservative in its values and approach, destabilizing institutions which Conservatives once deemed sacrosanct, and replacing continuity and solidity with constant change and competition.Trade ReviewDorey’s superbly researched account is a concise, full 360-degree study of the inexorable rise of Thatcherism and its erosion of traditional Conservatism. He shows clearly and crisply why her ideological legacy remains so important to the Conservative Party and to anyone who studies it. -- Louise Thompson, University of ManchesterAn outstanding book that deserves to be widely read. Pete Dorey has expertly combined historical and political analysis to provide a definitive and highly engaging account of the complexities and contradictions of the Thatcher project. His analysis is consistently sharp and insightful and helps us make better sense of the character and legacy of one of the most important and enduring political projects of our time. -- Peter Kerr, University of BirminghamTable of Contents1. Why Margaret Thatcher became Conservative Party leader and prime minister 2. The development of Thatcherism: intellectual origins and ideological framework 3. The key policies 4. Thatcher’s management and domination of the parliamentary Conservative Party 5. The Thatcherization of the Conservative Party since 1990 6. The contradictions and consequences of Thatcherism Concluding comments Chronology

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn in-depth history of how finance remade everyday life in Thatcher's Britain. Are We Rich Yet? tells the story of the financialization of British society. During the 1980s and 1990s, financial markets became part of daily life for many Britons as the practice of investing moved away from the offices of the City of London, onto Britain's high streets, and into people's homes. The Conservative Party claimed this shift as evidence that capital ownership was in the process of being democratized. In practice, investing became more institutionalized than ever in late-twentieth-century Britain: inclusion frequently meant tying one's fortunes to the credit, insurance, pension, and mortgage industries to maintain independence from state-run support systems. In tracing the rise of a consumer-oriented mass investment culture, historian Amy Edwards explains how the financial became such a central part of British society, not only economically and politically, but socially and culturally, toTrade Review"One consequence of depicting neoliberalism as the product of a multifaceted process involving many actors and causal factors is that the prospect of undertaking meaningful reform starts to look daunting. But Edwards shows us that the central difficulty is a cultural one: we have been taught for many years to live our lives as consumers rather than citizens." * London Review of Books *"Taken as a whole, Edwards’ reconnaissance into this area is a masterly mix of disciplines, approaches and sources that will reward many re-readings. The revolution of habits and outlooks that was the hallmark of the 1980s do require those sensitive cross-disciplinary approaches: Edwards shows others how it should be done." * Contemporary British History *"This book is an excellent addition to the history of stock market investment in the UK during the past 50 or so years. It gives needed coverage to important but overlooked topics such as shareholder perks and OTC traders." * EH.net *Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction 1. “A Wonderful Growth”: Investment Culture from 1840 to 1980 2. Over the Counter: Speculation and the Small Investor 3. Shopping for Shares: The Rise of Financial Consumerism 4. “The Moneymen’s Sunday Sermon”: The Making of a Mass-Market Financial Advice Industry 5. Yuppies: Finance and Investment in Popular Culture 6. Are We Rich Yet? Investment Clubs and Investor Activism Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe idea that conservatism amounts to little more than being in favour of free market capitalism and a small statewidely held for decadesis seriously mistaken.Award-winning political theorist Yoram Hazony argues that the best hope for Western democracy is to return to a genuine conservatism that is distinct from the hollow promises of contemporary economic and social liberalism. He explains how this great Anglo-American conservative tradition rooted in empiricism, faith and the nation emerged and developed in England in the thought of men like Richard Hooker and Edmund Burke, and later inspired American figures ranging from the Federalists to Lincoln. He analyses how this tradition was corrupted and subverted from the 1960s onwards by the right's misconceived embrace of fusionism' and liberalism, and how it can be revived today to respond to an era of progressive hegemony.Reflecting on his own first-hand experiences - and the importance of personal behaviour, piety and virtue in rebuilding the culture and politics of conservatism Hazony makes a powerful counter-cultural case for a revivified conservatism that no-one dissatisfied with the current state of the political right can afford to miss.

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘An absorbing study of online propaganda and its threat to democracy’ – Guardian, Book of the Day‘A wonderful record of these haywire times . . . it really explains how we ended up in this mess’ – Jon RonsonThis is a story about how the extreme became mainstream. It reveals how the truth became ‘fake news’, how fringe ideas spread, and how a candidate many dismissed as a joke was propelled to the presidency by the dark side of the internet.For several years, Andrew Marantz, a New Yorker staff writer, has been embedded with alt-right propagandists, who have become experts at using social media to advance their corrosive agenda. He also spent time with the social-media entrepreneurs who made this possible, through their naive and reckless ambition, by disrupting all of the traditional information systems. Join Marantz as some of the biggest brains in Silicon Valley teach him how to make content go viral; as he hangs out with the conspiracists, white supremacists and nihilist trolls using these ideas to make their memes, blogs and podcasts incredibly successful; and as he meets some of the people led down the rabbit hole of online radicalization.Antisocial is about how the unthinkable becomes thinkable, and then becomes reality. By telling the story of the people who hijacked the American conversation, Antisocial will help you understand the world they have created, in which we all now live.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnother entry in the best-selling, irreverent, hard-hitting Politically Incorrect Guide series! Economics from a rational, conservative viewpoint—that is, a refreshing look at how money actually works from an author who knows the score, and how the law of economics are frequently broken and derailed by pernicious leftists and virtue signaling progressives.Markets Rule. Socialism Sucks. Time to wise up. Think economics is the Dismal Science? No more! Here is the lowdown on the biases, superstitions, and outright falsehoods that permeate and corrupt economics and economic policy. Here's the skinny on the poisonous effects of socialism and crony capitalism. Even better, here is an irreverent but clear-eyed explanation of how markets and economies work and how government intervention so often doesn’t, routinely makes things worse, and how it's usually the cause of economic crises in the first place. Here’s how the power of the free market bursts forth and conquers, despite the worms, leeches, slings and arrows of socialism and anarchy trying to do in human creativity and ingenuity at every turn. How the myth of so-called “market failure” is total bunk. Why every attempt by government to stabilize the economy seems to put it in a tailspin instead. How corporations cozy up to big government and use regulation to create monopoly profits. Why “stimulus spending” makes us poor and hands the power-seeking goons of the governing class even more control over our lives. Plus, here's a chance to supercharge your economic IQ with concentrated wisdom from masters of market scholarship Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, Milton Friedman, and more! A no-nonsense, irreverent guide to economics from a legendary teacher, thinker, and Mises Institute scholar that may be the best book on economics since Adam Smith visited a pin factory, figured out how the division of labor works, and wrote it all down in one handy volume!

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first full-scale biography of Robert Welch, who founded the John Birch Society and planted some of modern conservatism's most insidious seeds. Though you may not know his name, Robert Welch (1899-1985)founder of the John Birch Societyis easily one of the most significant architects of our current political moment. In A Conspiratorial Life, the first full-scale biography of Welch, Edward H. Miller delves deep into the life of an overlooked figure whose ideas nevertheless reshaped the American right. A child prodigy who entered college at age 12, Welch became an unlikely candy magnate, founding the company that created Sugar Daddies, Junior Mints, and other famed confections. In 1958, he funneled his wealth into establishing the organization that would define his legacy and change the face of American politics: the John Birch Society. Though the group's paranoiac right-wing nativism was dismissed by conservative thinkers like William F. Buckley, its ideas gradually moved from the far-right fringe into the mainstream. By exploring the development of Welch's political worldview, A Conspiratorial Life shows how the John Birch Society's rabid libertarianismand its highly effective grassroots networkingbecame a profound, yet often ignored or derided influence on the modern Republican Party. Miller convincingly connects the accusatory conservatism of the midcentury John Birch Society to the inflammatory rhetoric of the Tea Party, the Trump administration, Q, and more. As this book makes clear, whether or not you know his name or what he accomplished, it's hard to deny that we're living in Robert Welch's America. Trade Review“In this highly readable, insightful biography of Robert Welch, Miller uses his unique access into Welch's papers to reveal a man much more important to modern American conservatism than we have previously understood. Miller shows how, far from being marginalized to the fringes of the movement, Welch was central to creating the destructive conspiratorial worldview that now dominates our politics.” * Heather Cox Richardson, author of “Letters from an American” *“[A] terrific biography. . . In Miller’s hands, the story of Robert Welch shows that there was no real dividing line between the responsible and radical right.” * Times Literary Supplement *"The rise of Trump, Q-anon, and a Republican Party seemingly allergic to the ordinary canons of decency and expertise, has led historians to a reexamination of brands of American conservatism previously considered too extreme to be relevant to understanding the present. This work demands a rare combination of talents: an ability to empathize with ways of thinking from which reason recoils, and a moral sense that refuses to normalize it. Miller possesses both in abundance, which is what makes this groundbreaking biography of Robert Welch of the John Birch Society so very valuable." * Rick Perlstein, author of Reaganland: America's Right Turn, 1976-1980 *“In this immersive biography, Miller traces the roots of today’s right-wing conspiracy theories to John Birch Society founder Robert Welch . . . Scrupulously researched and lucidly written, this is an enlightening study of an overlooked yet influential figure in American politics.” * Publishers Weekly *“Miller’s study of Robert Welch, the founder of the John Birch Society, presents a plausible account of America’s slow descent from the 1950s into the abyss of post-truth politics.” * London Review of Books *"Traces the origins and history of the John Birch Society and, in the process, provides historical perspective on the far-right populism of the Trump era. . . . On the whole, as Miller’s book makes clear, Republican politicians of the early 1960s were more eager to court the John Birch Society than to distance themselves from it." * New York Review of Books *“A Conspiratorial Life is the first comprehensive biography of Robert Welch. It is revelatory about his role in the development of modern American conservatism.” * Foreword Reviews *"Offers a good angle from which to appraise the fractured state of American conservatism." * Financial Times *“[An] impressively researched and nuanced reconsideration of the modern American right. . . Miller makes a provocative and persuasive case that Welch was a vanguard figure rather than a retrograde one.” * The New Republic *“A reminder that outlandish conspiracism has a long history on the right.” * Los Angeles Review of Books *"Miller makes an important contribution to understanding how conspiracy theories have altered American politics in this biography of Robert Welch (1899–1985) . . . Although Welch died in 1985, Miller argues that his use of the “Big Lie” still resonates today, manifesting in the Tea Party's xenophobic anger; Donald Trump's election as president in 2016; and the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, which culminated in the January 6 insurrection. Recommended." * Choice *“Miller has undertaken the definitive biography of John Birch Society founder Robert Welch, and he has succeeded. A Conspiratorial Life is incredibly thorough, carefully researched and written, and enlivened by energetic prose.” * Heather Hendershot, author of Open to Debate: How William F. Buckley Put Liberal America on the Firing Line *"A welcome contribution to the history of modern right-wing politics at its extremes." * Kirkus Reviews *“[An] eye-opener of a biography." -- Robert Siegel * Moment Magazine *"In the standard origin story of the modern US right, today's conservative movement was born with an excommunication: when William F. Buckley, the erudite, upper-crust founder of the National Review, turned on his onetime ally, Robert Welch of the John Birch Society, driving Welch and the rest of the conspiracy-hunting "Birchers" out of the respectable right. The truth, as always, is much messier, as Edward H. Miller demonstrates in his new book. . . The deeper imperative of the book, Miller writes, is to correct historians' long-standing misapprehensions about conservatism, and what the field has missed by dismissing the darker, stranger corners of the right, and how its apparent losers may have won the long game." * Salon *"An eye-opening look at the deep roots of rightwing politics in the United States. Sweeping in scope, the book takes a deep dive into the fears at the heart of the John Birch Society . . . [Miller] provides a deep, thoughtful, and accessible account of Welch’s lasting hold on U.S. politics." * The Progressive *"An engaging and penetrating dive into the enduring influence of the John Birch Society and the group’s founder Robert Welch." * Political Research Associates *"Most accounts of the rise of conservatism in the twentieth century follow a familiar set of characters: William F. Buckley, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan. Historian Edward Miller suggests an alternative leading man: Robert Welch. His new biography of the founder and leader of the John Birch Society, the anticommunist grass-roots organization founded in 1958, makes the case that the scholarly focus on the politically respectable right has led to a distorted understanding of the history of conservatism—one that is especially problematic given the prevalence of loony conspiracy theories on the right today." -- Kim Phillips-Fein * Society for US Intellectual History *"A comprehensive account. . . Miller’s central contention that Welch 'paved the way for the conservatism of the twentieth century, shaped events in the twentieth-first century, and will continue to do so far into the future' is as disturbing as it is compelling." * The Review of Politics *"Miller’s contribution to this revisionist historiography constitutes a cleverly written, finely textured, and badly needed study of a pivotal and too-often marginalized figure in the development of the modern American Right." * Journal of Southern History *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Chowan County, North Carolina 1700–1899 2 Stockton, 1899–1910 3 Elizabeth City, Raleigh, Annapolis, 1910–1919 4 The Candyman, 1919–1927 5 Professional Breakdown and the Great Depression, 1928–1940 6 America First, 1940–1945 7 Postwar Dreams and Delusions, 1946–1950 8 The Candidate, 1950 9 May God Forgive Us, 1951–1952 10 There’s Just Something about Ike, 1952 11 A Republican Looks at His President, 1953–1954 12 The Saga of John Birch, 1954 13 Adventures in the Far East, 1954–1955 14 Arrivals and Departures, 1955–1958 15 The Indy Eleven, 1957–1959 16 Revelations, 1959–1960 17 Goldwater in ’60, 1960 18 Staccato Jabs, 1961–1962 19 Succession? 1961–1962 20 “Where Were You in ’62?,” 1962 21 Revolution in the Streets and the Paranoid Style in Belmont, 1963 22 Two Novembers, 1963–1964 23 Nadir, 1965–1966 24 Avenging the Insiders, 1966–1968 25 The Fifty-Foot Cabin Cruiser, 1969–1975 26 Bunker, 1970–1978 27 Making Morning in America . . . , 1970–1985 Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe struggle between the main political parties has been reduced to an unpopularity contest, in which voters hold their noses and sigh as they trudge to the polls. Peter Hitchens explains how and why British politics has sunk to this dreary level - the takeover of the parties and the media by conventional left-wing dogmas which then call themselves ''the centre ground''. The Tory party under David Cameron has become a pale-blue twin of New Labour, offering change without alteration. Hitchens, a former Lobby reporter, examines and mocks the flock mentality of most Westminster journalists, explains how unattributable lunches guide coverage and why so many reporters - once slavish admirers of Labour - now follow the Tory line. This updated edition of Hitchens''s The Broken Compass (2009) features a brand new introduction. In an excoriating analysis, Hitchens examines the Tory Party''s record in government and opposition, dismissing it as a failure on all fronts Trade ReviewHitchens ... never seeks to conceal the dramatic nature of his own ideological odyssey ... Today, famously, he is a fully fledged flail of the left, though interestingly this has not led to any great devotion to the Tory cause, least of all as represented by the emollient David Cameron. If there is one thing that can be counted on from the reconstructed Hitchens, it is his eagerness to go tooth and nail for political timidity wherever he detects it and, in his view, "compassionate Conservatism" is every bit as vulnerable in this respect as was New Labour back in 1997. He writes with much of the verve and brio of his elder brother and with a greater regard for detail and accuracy. -- Anthony Howard * New Statesman *A controversial and fascinating book ... could not put it down, it gave me plenty of food for thought. I enjoyed it tremendously and highly recommend it. * BFKbooks *This book has some passages of quite brilliant writing and it is at its best when Peter reflects on his own life and his disillusionment with the left-wing ideology of his youth. I long to see him take the next stage in his writer's journey and examine, with his unsparing honesty, the rich human reality of the division he believes is now more important than the split between Left and Right - the deeper gulf between the restless progressive and the Christian pessimist. -- Michael Gove * The Times *Table of ContentsPreface: The Lost Frontier Introduction: The Great Paradox Part I: The New Permanent Government of Britain 1. Guy Fawkes Gets a Blackberry 2. The Power of Lunch 3. Time for a Change 4. Fear of Finding Something Worse 5. The Great Landslide Part II: The Left Escapes to the West 6. Riding the Prague Tram 7. A Fire Burning Under Water Part III: Britain through the Looking Glass 8. Racism, Sexism and Homophobia 9. Sexism is Rational 10. Equality or Tolerance 11. The Fall of the Meritocracy 12. 'The age of the train' 13. A Comfortable Hotel on the Road to Damascus Conclusion: The Broken Compass Postscript Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiz Truss's journey from schoolgirl revolutionary to Britain's shortest-serving Prime MinisterThe Sunday Times Politics Book of the YearA Guardian Politics Book of the Year 2023An insightful and at times riotously entertaining account of the lengthy rise and abrupt fall of Britain's 56th Prime Minister. What was intended as a prologue to her premiership is now a riveting political obituary in which every page drips with the seeds of both triumph and disaster. Cole and Heale have produced a meticulously reported account of Truss's drive, impulsiveness, eccentricity and ideological certainty which reads like a warning from history. It has elements of tragedy but is frequently very, very funny.' Tim Shipman''Make sure you put your seat belt on. Heale and Cole put you in the passenger seat of the fastest car crash in recent political history. It''s an unmissable romp through Liz Truss''s long journey to the top, fuelled by ambition and espresso. The clues that foretold the extraordinary catastrophe are all there, as the authors reveal in gory detail how Liz Truss nearly had the last laugh, before finally, as her government imploded, the joke was on her.'' Laura KuenssbergDespite being written off and mocked by even her closest colleagues, Liz Truss slowly but determinedly achieved her goal of taking over 10 Downing Street only to instantly plunge her administration into chaos and announce her resignation after a record-breaking 44 days. How did she do it? And what exactly went so wrong?With unrivalled access and insight, award-winning political journalists Harry Cole and James Heale provide the answers, drawing on interviews with Truss's friends and supporters, as well as her worst critics and rivals, from Kwasi Kwarteng to Michael Gove.Tracking Truss's transformation from geeky teenage Lib Dem to Tory PM, with the inside scoop on her first and only month in office, Out of the Blue is the unmissable behind-the-scenes account of Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister.Trade Review‘Completely absorbing and, in places, astonishing. It is the story of a gigantic error, well told. And important lessons can be learnt.’ Daniel Finkelstein ‘Offers a masterful, behind-the-scenes perspective on a political farce that affected us all’ 4* Telegraph ‘An admirable, thorough and solid body of research’ Times ‘Its lively style and air of authority illuminates [Truss’s] failings … with some wit, insight and a well-informed ear for the telling detail’ Observer ‘An entertainingly written black comedy that reveals much about how we are governed’ The Critic

Read more less

Book SynopsisA provocative new history of how the news media facilitated the Reagan Revolution and the rise of the religious Right. After two years in the White House, an aging and increasingly unpopular Ronald Reagan looked like a one-term president, but in 1983 something changed. Reagan spoke of his embattled agenda as a spiritual rather than a political project and cast his vision for limited government and market economics as the natural outworking of religious conviction. The news media broadcast this message with enthusiasm, and white evangelicals rallied to the president's cause. With their support, Reagan won reelection and continued to dismantle the welfare state, unraveling a political consensus that stood for half a century. In Righting the American Dream, Diane Winston reveals how support for Reagan emerged from a new religious vision of American identity circulating in the popular press. Through four key eventsthe evil empire speech, AIDS outbreak, invasion of Grenada, and rise Trade Review"Winston shows how the president harnessed the power of the news media to popularize a new ‘religious imaginary’ and thus to build support for his policies.” * Jacobin *"A valuable analysis of the intertwining of faith and politics in America." * Publishers Weekly *"Far from a study of religion in the Reagan presidency, the book considers the way Reagan recast presidential images and sound bites to appeal to a perceived sense of moral rightness and particularly to the reemerging Right, creating a social structure beneath his neoliberalism. . . . Careful readers will see in the methods and values explored in this volume the underpinnings of a less religious, more exploitative, and more recent presidential use of media." * Choice *“Journalist Diane Winston examines the marriage of religious fervor and politics in the United States, tracing the mainstream version of this phenomenon back to President Ronald Reagan. When the then-struggling president began framing the country’s woes through a spiritual lens in 1983, he quickly garnered passionate support from white evangelicals. Winston offers a withering critique of the media and explains how journalists advanced Reagan’s black-and-white views on religion, economics, and society—perspectives that remain popular today.” * Alta Journal *"Standard accounts of the Reagan era treat foreign policy, religious, and economic conservatism as separate spheres that rarely intersected, but Winston’s fascinating and well-argued account shows how the religious worldview championed by President Reagan reinforced the ideological transformation he sought in all three realms. Righting the American Dream will reshape studies of the media no less than our historical understanding of a pivotal era in the history of American religion.” -- E. J. Dionne Jr., author of 'Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism–From Goldwater to Trump and Beyond'“Perhaps no figure is more responsible for the interplay of American media, religion, and politics today than Ronald Reagan. Righting the American Dream masterfully weaves the story of how Reagan created a seemingly organic, but actually entirely constructed, religious imaginary that continues to fundamentally shape the terrain of our most pressing cultural and moral debates.” -- Brie Loskota, Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion at the University of Chicago“Winston shows how Ronald Reagan had his cake and ate it too, perceiving the mainstream media as liberal while also using the press to promote and normalize his conservative agenda and a lived religion of American hyper-individualism and exceptionalism. A masterful critique, Righting the American Dream is key for anyone who wants to understand the impact of the Reagan era today.” -- Heather Hendershot, author of 'When the News Broke: Chicago 1968 and the Polarizing of America'“Above and beyond the study of [the religious right,] Righting the American Dream is also an excellent and concise history of journalism in the United States. . . . A fascinating account of the birth and growth and present status of newspapers and electronic media.” * Common Threads *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One. Context: Media, Politics, and Religion 1. Faith in the Media 2. 1973: The Body Politic and the Religious Body 3. An American Religious Imaginary Part Two. Reporting Reagan’s Imaginary 4. Evil Empires: Communism and AIDS 5. The “New Patriotism”: The Mission in Grenada 6. Scrooged: Moralizing Welfare and Racializing Poverty Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“To get the most out of the book, you do have to come to terms with McCloskey’s idiosyncratic prose style: simultaneously erudite, conversational and forthright”—Robert Colvile, The Times“Tragically, many of the topics and ideas covered here are ignored by most economists. Happily, Deirdre McCloskey writes about them with great insight, style, and clarity.”—Russ Roberts, author of How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life“Deirdre McCloskey is a truly humane liberal, and these essays show off her philosophy at its best.”—Tyler Cowen, author of Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero "Beginning with the simple but fertile idea that people should not push other people around, Deirdre McCloskey presents an elegant defense of 'true liberalism' as opposed to its well-meaning rivals on the left and the right. Erudite, but marvelously accessible and written in a style that is at once colloquial and astringent."—Stanley Fish, author of The First: How To Think About Hate Speech, Campus Speech, Religious Speech, Fake News, Post-Truth, and Donald Trump“With her usual panache and conviction, Deirdre McCloskey advocates an unfashionably sensible—and humane—political philosophy, reclaiming for the term ‘liberal’ its original meaning. Whatever you call it, the world needs more of her respect for freedom and individual dignity.”—Diane Coyle, University of Cambridge“Deirdre McCloskey’s book thoughtfully advances the important conversation of the Great Enrichment with the substance and style for which she is known.”—Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Laureate in Economics

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor more than four decades, George F. Will has attempted to discern the principles of the Western political tradition and apply them to America''s civic life. Today, the stakes could hardly be higher. Vital questions about the nature of man, of rights, of equality, of majority rule are bubbling just beneath the surface of daily events in America.The Founders'' vision, articulated first in the Declaration of Independence and carried out in the Constitution, gave the new republic a framework for government unique in world history. Their beliefs in natural rights, limited government, religious freedom, and in human virtue and dignity ushered in two centuries of American prosperity. Now, as Will shows, conservatism is under threat--both from progressives and elements inside the Republican Party. America has become an administrative state, while destructive trends have overtaken family life and higher education. Semi-autonomous executive agencies wield essentially unaccountable p

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review[This] is a selective moral progress report, an ‘intimate sociology and anthropology of ethics’ that is engaging, articulate and richly descriptive… Ignatieff’s deft histories, vivid sketches, and fascinating interviews are the soul of this important book. They take us from Los Angeles to Rio de Janeiro, to Bosnia, Myanmar, South Africa and Japan; and they inform his answer to its guiding question. For Ignatieff, the ideology of human rights has fallen short. What sustains the fragile flourishing of global cities and diverse communities is not faith in human rights but the ‘ordinary virtues’ of tolerance, forgiveness, resilience and trust, made possible by adequate maintenance of the rule of law. The ordinary virtues are an open-source operating system, a moral vernacular by which members of different ethnic and religious groups are able to live, if not together, then side by side. -- Kieran Setiya * Times Literary Supplement *Makes for illuminating reading. -- Simon Winchester * New York Review of Books *[An] admirable little book. -- James Traub * New York Times Book Review *Ignatieff combines powerful moral arguments with superb storytelling. There are unforgettable accounts of the massacres in the former Yugoslavia and how people try to live with memories of loss and—perhaps even harder—with neighbors who were among the perpetrators…What is perhaps most interesting about The Ordinary Virtues is the contrast between the hopes and aspirations of the 1990s and the realities of the early 21st century. -- David Herman * New Statesman *This is a work of a statesman at the height of his powers…Ignatieff makes his case, lucidly, vividly, persuasively…This book has the potential to make as big a wave in the field of human rights and global ethics as After Virtue did in the philosophical and theological academy. At a time of much confusion, paralysis, and despair, few hands on the global tiller are as sure as those of Ignatieff. -- Samuel Wells * Christian Century *Michael Ignatieff has long served as a bellwether of liberal internationalism, and what he has to say is important in itself and a reflection of a temperament evolving in time. Ignatieff’s writerly gifts make reading The Ordinary Virtues a wonderful experience, whether one agrees or not with the contentious thesis he advances about virtue ethics and human rights. Readers interested in global politics cannot afford to miss this intervention. -- Samuel Moyn, author of The Last Utopia: Human Rights in HistoryMichael Ignatieff has written his most important book. It speaks to the moral dilemmas of our times in a language that grapples with the profound contradictions between the universal languages that many global elites speak and the ‘ordinary virtues’ of ordinary citizens that come to life in local contexts in local languages. It is not hard to extend Ignatieff’s reasoning to the contemporary crisis in liberal democracies in the developed world. -- Janice Stein, University of TorontoIn this extraordinary book, Michael Ignatieff travels across the globe to explore two apparently opposite things: what divides us from each other, and what enables communities of strangers to live side by side. He doubts whether a single legal, religious, or philosophical code can unite us. Globalization in our economies does not produce globalization in our hearts. He emphasizes the role of ordinary virtues, not grand principles, in guiding us through the maze of competing ideas and obligations. At a time when liberal and democratic principles are widely challenged, and funeral orations are being delivered prematurely for the international order that has lasted since 1945, this book provides a much-needed reminder that societies can, somehow, not just muddle through, but create a moral order of sorts that actually works. -- Adam Roberts, University of OxfordMichael Ignatieff is an exceptionally distinguished historian, journalist, and thinker. The Ordinary Virtues is an engrossing, creative, and elegantly written addition to his other excellent books. Considering a globalizing world troubled by terrible inequality, Ignatieff makes a moral argument by illustration, with sophistication enough for trained political theorists as well as a real-world engagement that gives the work heft. -- Gary Bass, Princeton UniversityIgnatieff long has been seen as one of the principal theoreticians of human rights, a task to which he has devoted his career since reporting on the Bosnian Civil War in the late 1990s… He deserves praise for wrestling with the devolution of our moral worlds over recent decades… [In] The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World, Ignatieff betrays an admirable recognition of the poverty of our moral politics today. -- Patrick William Kelly * Los Angeles Review of Books *[Ignatieff] has never been afraid to ask the big questions. And as his new book The Ordinary Virtues shows, he is no less willing to take them on today. His question is whether, just as globalization has brought different economies closer together, it has also made our ethical codes more similar. -- Alex Dean * Prospect *A book of considerable style and substance…There is much wisdom in this book. -- Joe Humphreys * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisForthright, witty and deliciously opinionated, Jean Trumpington's Coming Up Trumps is a spirited account of a life very well lived.In this characteristically incisive memoir, the indomitable Jean Trumpington looks back on her long and remarkable life. The daughter of an officer in the Bengal Lancers and an American heiress, Jean Campbell-Harris led an early life of luxury - until the Wall Street Crash wiped out her family's fortune. At fifteen, Jean was sent to Paris to study but two years later, with the outbreak of the Second World War, she became a land girl. But Jean sought adventure and soon found it while working in Navy Intelligence throughout the war. Her post-warr life took her from the glamour of Paris to the 'mad men' of Madison Avenue. It was here that she met her husband, the historian Alan Barker, and their marriage, in 1954, ushered in the happiest period of her life before embarking on her distinguished political career,

Read more less