The World's Best Book Summaries
How did the Koch brothers impact the 2016 presidential election? Did they explicitly back Trump? In Dark Money, award-winning journalist Jane Mayer explores the influence that the Koch brothers have had on American politics for decades. She includes a discussion of the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Keep reading for a quick overview of the direct and indirect connections between the Koch Brothers and Trump.
What is John Rawls’s definition of justice? How does Rawls’s conceptualization of justice differ from other theorists’? According to John Rawls, justice is a generally held idea of the most moral way of organizing society. Thus, Rawls doesn’t focus on justice on an individual level, which separates him from many other theorists of justice, who view social justice as an extension of individual justice. Keep reading to learn about Rawls’s concept of justice.
How can the U.S. bolster its influence in the world? Why isn’t it stronger than it is? The United States has an attitude problem. It views the world through a self-centered lens, based on the assumption that U.S. actions and policy decisions are the main driving force behind global events. That’s the view of General H. R. McMaster, who writes about this in his book. Continue reading for an overview of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World.
How have the Koch brothers influenced American politics? What policies and candidates have they supported, and why? In Dark Money, award-winning journalist Jane Mayer argues that the wealthy elite in America has used their fortunes to propagate far-right ideology in American politics between the 1970s and 2016. She discusses conservative business tycoons Charles and David Koch in particular. Continue reading for an overview of Dark Money by Jane Mayer.
What is John Rawls’s critique of utilitarianism? Why does Rawls consider utilitarianism immoral? Utilitarianism was a dominant theory of justice during Rawls’s time. In A Theory of Justice, Rawls criticizes utilitarianism on the grounds of allowing the majority to oppress a minority. Here are John Rawls’s utilitarianism views.
What’s China’s vision for the world? How is China’s economic warfare being played out? What’s the risk to the rest of the world? In Battlegrounds, General H. R. McMaster identifies five “hot spots”—points of conflict between the U.S. and other parts of the world. These are China, Russia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, and North Korea. Keep reading for McMaster’s assessment of the growing threat of China, including China’s economic warfare.
What is the original position? How does the original position inform John Rawls’s theory of justice? “The original position” is the foundation of John Rawls’s theory of justice. The original position aims to determine the ideal theory of justice—one that a group of equals could rationally agree is best, regardless of their own personal backgrounds or circumstances. Keep reading to learn about the original position.
What motivates Vladimir Putin? What’s he after? What’s his strategy? In Battlegrounds, General H. R. McMaster explains Vladimir Putin’s emotional motivations. He also describes the methods by which Russia is reasserting itself as a world power. Read more for this enlightening and timely discussion of Russian aggression in Europe.
What is John Rawls’s difference principle? Under what circumstances should inequality be allowed in society? The difference principle is the second principle in John Rawls’s book A Theory of Justice. The difference principle states that instances of inequality should only be permitted if they make the least advantaged better off. Keep reading to learn about Rawls’s difference principle and the kind of circumstances that would call for it.
Why is North Korea such a threat to the world? Why haven’t economic strategies halted its aggression? What’s the answer to the North Korea problem? In Battlegrounds, General H. R. McMaster offers solutions to America’s foreign policy ills. He identifies North Korea as the riskiest “hot spot” in the world and recommends a coordinated effort to neutralize the threat. Read more to learn about McMaster’s ideas on how to deal with North Korea.