The World's Best Book Summaries
Why is the rule of law important to modern democracies? Where does it come from? A major component of modern liberal democracy is the rule of law. Francis Fukuyama explains where the rule of law comes from, how it affects the political order, and how its absence (or weakness) leads to authoritarianism. Read more for a discussion about the rule of law and its importance to society.
In political science, what’s a state? What are its distinct features? How is it different from a tribe? Francis Fukuyama argues that a stable democratic society requires a strong state. He identifies five characteristics that a state has: a strong central authority, a stratified class system, a complex religion, a composition based on territory, and the centralized and exclusive control of police and military forces. Let’s take a look at the definition and the features of a state, according to Fukuyama.
If we were to abolish the Federal Reserve, how should we go about it? What are some alternatives to the Fed? Edward Griffin believes the Fed destabilizes the economy and encourages banks to engage in fraudulent practices that harm the public and benefit the elite. In his book, The Creature from Jekyll Island, he identifies four major problems with the Fed and insists that it should be abolished. Read more to learn Griffin’s proposed two-step strategy to abolish the Federal Reserve.
How were societies originally structured? How and when were governments first formed? In The Origins of Political Order, political economist Francis Fukuyama discusses the earliest social structures: families and tribes. He explains how their dynamics were an obstacle to the formation of states and thus influenced political development. Continue reading to learn about the origins of government.
What is Aristotle’s philosophy regarding politics and government? What function, in Aristotle’s view, does the government serve? According to Aristotle’s political theory, the government exists to maximize the virtue of its citizens. Therefore, it cannot and should not separate politics from questions of morality and personal life circumstances. To understand Aristotle’s argument, we’ll deconstruct it into two themes.
What is ranked-choice voting and how does it work? What benefits does ranked-choice voting promise voters? Ranked-choice voting is gaining popularity across the United States with advocates claiming it gives a voice to people who don’t feel represented by polarizing candidates. But the jury’s still out on whether it’s a step forward or backward for U.S. democracy. Keep reading to learn what ranked-choice voting is and how it works.
Why is ranked-choice voting (RCV) a bad idea? What drawbacks have critics identified? How successful has RCV been in elections so far? Ranked-choice voting is a system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots, and it’s gaining popularity across the United States. However, critics say ranked-choice voting is a bad idea due to its complexity and potential to waste votes. Keep reading to learn why critics say ranked-choice voting is a bad idea for the U.S.
What conspiracies are associated with the Federal Reserve? Is there anything to them? Edward Griffin discusses two conspiracies that are said to be behind the Federal Reserve: the bank cartel conspiracy and the world domination conspiracy. Griffin believes that these help us understand what’s going on with the Fed specifically and economics and politics in general. Keep reading to learn about these two Federal Reserve conspiracies.
What is The Gulag Archipelago? What was the book’s purpose, and what difference did it make? In the Soviet Union, prisoners such as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn were arrested on minor or fabricated charges, abused by officials, and held in camps for decades. Many were worked to death. Solzhenitsyn’s landmark exposé was banned, and he was persecuted by his own government for publishing it. Keep reading to learn about the significance of The Gulag Archipelago.
How does the Federal Reserve System affect the economy? Should it be abolished? If so, how? In his book The Creature from Jekyll Island, Edward Griffin argues that much of what the Federal Reserve does is contrary to the best interests of the American people. He lays out a case that the Fed harms the economy, and he offers a strategy to abolish the system. Continue reading for an overview of this thought-provoking book.