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  The Birth of Anarchism - 1849-1887

  Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail...

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  Mankind can rule itself without the force of top-down authority, and freedom is more than just choosing how to meet the needs and demands of capital. Inequality is structural and intentional, not inevitable and necessary.  
  It does not have to be this way. In solidarity, we are better. 
  Think for yourself, and question authority. 
  This is the essence of anarchism, which has a bad name and reputation because it attacks the necessity of centralised power and authority. The media archetype is Tyler Durden, filled with violence and nihilism – yet anarchism is the most positive of political philosophies, one that Jesus and Buddha both preached, stating that empathy and a rejection of authority were key to human flourishing. Neither would disagree with most early anarchists. 
  Proudhon, whose “property is robbery” is perhaps the most well-known anarchist slogan, lays out the conceptual foundation for key anarchist ideas. He argues that usury (charging interest) is a fundamental harm to society, that there is enough for everyone if we simply take other values to be higher than capital gain, that mutualism is inevitable, and that all governments and ideologies make the same mistake, in trying to change society from the top. Positive change must arise from the great masses of humanity, not from their rulers. 
  Bakunin's speeches are about solidarity arising from the masses, and the ground for a global reconfiguration. 
  Louis Lingg was convicted to death with six others, for being one of the ‘Chicago Anarchists’. They were executed to make a political point, based on corrupted evidence and perjury. His statement is one of contempt for the powers that be, and his belief that mankind should be free and should fight until it is. 
  We end with Kropotkin, who firmly believed in decentralized society. He believed that the greatest strength of mankind lies in the masses, not their rulers, and exhorts us to “Act for Yourselves”.

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  On Settler Colonialism -...

  Adam Kirsch

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  A prominent public intellectual tackles one of the most crucial political ideas of our moment. 
   
   
   
  Since Hamas's attack on Israel last October 7, the term "settler colonialism" has become central to public debate in the United States. A concept new to most Americans, but already established and influential in academic circles, settler colonialism is shaping the way many people think about the history of the United States, Israel and Palestine, and a host of political issues. 
   
   
   
  This short book is the first to examine settler colonialism critically for a general audience. By critiquing the most important writers, texts, and ideas in the field, Adam Kirsch shows how the concept emerged in the context of North American and Australian history and how it is being applied to Israel. He examines the sources of its appeal, which, he argues, are spiritual as much as political; how it works to delegitimize nations; and why it has the potential to turn indignation at past injustices into a source of new injustices today. A compact and accessible introduction, rich with historical detail, the book will speak to listeners interested in the Middle East, American history, and today's most urgent cultural-political debates.

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  On the Commonwealth

  Cicero

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  "On the Commonwealth" by Cicero is a profound political and philosophical treatise that explores the ideal form of government and the principles of a just society. In this insightful work, Cicero engages in a series of dialogues to examine different systems of governance, the nature of justice, and the role of individuals within a state. Through compelling conversations between prominent Roman statesmen, Cicero presents contrasting viewpoints on political theory, drawing on the teachings of Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. He explores the merits and flaws of various forms of government, including monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, while considering the ideal balance of power and the responsibilities of both rulers and citizens. Read in English, unabridged.

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  John Rawls - Justice Fairness...

  Hector Davidson

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  John Rawls, one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, fundamentally reshaped the field of political philosophy with his groundbreaking work, A Theory of Justice (1971). His vision of "justice as fairness" offered a robust framework for understanding social cooperation and the principles that should govern a just society. By blending elements of social contract theory with contemporary concerns about inequality and human rights, Rawls addressed timeless questions about the nature of justice and the moral obligations of institutions.  
  Born on February 21, 1921, in Baltimore, Maryland, Rawls’ early life was marked by tragedy and intellectual rigor. He lost two brothers to illness at a young age, experiences that profoundly influenced his outlook on morality and the fragility of human life. Rawls attended Princeton University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy, and later completed his doctorate at Harvard University after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. These formative years shaped his commitment to exploring ethical frameworks that could withstand the complexities of a modern, pluralistic world.  
  Rawls’ magnum opus, A Theory of Justice, introduced several key concepts that would come to define his philosophy. Central to his work was the idea of the "original position," a hypothetical scenario in which individuals design the principles of justice behind a "veil of ignorance." This veil prevents individuals from knowing their social status, wealth, abilities, or personal biases, compelling them to choose rules that are fair and impartial. The result is a system that prioritizes equal basic liberties for all, coupled with the difference principle, which allows social and economic inequalities only if they benefit the least advantaged members of society. 

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  A War Made in Russia

  Sergei Medvedev

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  In this timely and incisive book, Sergei Medvedev argues that Russia's war in Ukraine was not merely a whim of Putin's obsession: rather, it was the result of two decades of authoritarian degradation and post-imperial ressentiment, a culmination of Putin's regime and of Russia's entire imperial history. Building on his prize-winning book The Return of the Russian Leviathan, Medvedev argues that it was not only Putin that started this war, but Russia itself, which, by and large, has imagined and embraced it with enthusiasm, seeking to relive its own military glory and colonial past.

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  No Island of Sanity - Paula...

  Vincent Bugliosi

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  In a series called "The Library of Contemporary Thought," top opinion-makers explore the most provocative, fascinating, and momentous issues that have occurred in the United States. In this first volume, famed Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi takes on the Supreme Court. Considered by some to be an island of sanity surrounded by a sea of insanity that is our society, the Supreme Court has increasingly come under scrutiny for some dubious decisions.
  In this compelling work, Bugliosi puts the Supreme Court on trial for its handling of Paula Jones vs. Bill Clinton. The author argues that the right of a president to be free of a private lawsuit while in office outweighs a plaintiff's interest in having his or her case brought expediently to trial—regardless of a case's supposed merit.

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