The World's Best Book Summaries
What were the Crusades about? What impact did they have on the world? Muslim conquests in Asia, Africa, and Europe—and threats of further conquests—sounded the alarm for the Christian Byzantine Empire. The emperor asked Western European Catholics for help. The resulting Crusades would shape the world in ways that we see still today. Keep reading to learn about the impact of the Crusades.
Are democracies safe as long as they respect the rule of law? What does history tell us? A major component of modern liberal democracies is the rule of law—the belief that the state is constrained by some higher standard of conduct. However, the rule of law is not a complete safeguard of democracy. Continue reading to learn about the limitations of the rule of law.
What is Michael Sandel’s Justice about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Justice is Michael Sandel’s exploration of the philosophical perspectives on justice and morality. To this end, Sandel examines how philosophers throughout the ages have tackled political dilemmas with ethical implications, offering his own critiques along the way. Below is a brief overview of Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? by Michael Sandel.
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.