Other books that might interest you

• 

  The Concentration of Power -...

  Anders Corr

  • 0
  • 1
  • 0

  Since the beginning of organized societies, power and leadership have operated in human hierarchies, which are concentrating power in an accelerating manner, according to the comprehensive analysis of Dr. Anders Corr in his book The Concentration of Power: Institutionalization, Hierarchy & Hegemony.
  		 
  “This sweeping study belongs next to Niall Ferguson and Jared Diamond in our understanding of how the world works and how it can work better.” — James Kraska, Harvard Law School
  		 
  “A must-read for legislators, military strategists, leading academics, regulators, and anyone interested in the existential threat that the concentration of economic, political, and informational power in an illiberal country like China creates for the leading democracies of the world.” - Kyle Bass, Billionaire investor
  		 
  “…erudite and realistic appraisal of 21st century power politics.” — Alex Gray, former Chief of Staff, White House National Security Council
  		 
  From The Book:
  		 
  “China’s influence in US politics has coincided with the industrialization of China, at the expense of a deindustrializing US. Global corporations, to which US politicians answer, fled high wages and environmental regulations  in the US for low wages and lax environmental standards in China. Now, the US is paying the price and might not recover sufficiently to defend itself against China’s growing military. The strategic ambitions of one nation can and have upset the United Nations and the balance between powers. Now the Western world must understand the imminent threats from the hegemonic ambitions of China.”
  		 
  Hierarchy is the  “institutionalization of power,” according to Dr. Corr’s The Concentration of Power, an institutionalization that is concentrating and accelerating over historical time, from prehistory to the present. Corr develops twelve historical theories and applies them to the greatest conflicts of the past and present, including during the age of empires, the present competition between superpowers such as the United States and China, as well as conflicts between the nation-state and emerging supranational powers such as the European Union and United Nations. Corr’s theories apply to domestic politics as well, as illustrated by the evolution of conflicts between communism, fascism, and liberal democracy. 
  		 
  Corr argues that the concentration of power acts as a ratchet. It concentrates when conditions are ripe, and force is applied. Due to mechanisms like subsidies, transfers, and corruption, however, power does not easily return to an unconcentrated state when conditions are not ripe. This dynamic dynamic of the ratchet drives international and domestic concentration of power, with no apparent end other than a global illiberal hegemon at some point in the future. 
  		 
  In sum, The Concentration of Power is a short history of the world, from the beginning to what the evidence indicates should be its logical conclusion. From politics to unions, associations, corporations, and the military, Dr. Corr analyzes them and provides readers with a sense of what the world could face if we allow hierarchy to continue its historical development toward global and illiberal hegemony. Be it in China, the United States, or the European Union, all are vying for global influence and the utilization of the structure of the United Nations to promote either the principles of human rights and democracy, or in the case of Beijing, the exact opposite. This clash between democracy and autocracy on a global level could turn into a final war of world proportions.
  		 
  No greater stakes have ever existed in world history.

  Show book

• 

  The Center of the Star -...

  Judith Kunisch

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  How do we fix a healthcare system that’s too complex, costly, and often unequal? In The Center of the Star, Judith Kunisch offers a groundbreaking perspective on reform, introducing a practical framework that makes sense of healthcare’s tangled web of consumers, providers, payers, policymakers, and the health industrial complex.

  Show book

• 

  Republicanism Explained - The...

  Arlo Holders

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Republicanism is a political ideology that emphasizes the importance of a government where power rests in the hands of elected representatives, rather than a monarch or dictator. The essence of republicanism lies in the commitment to a system that prioritizes liberty, the rule of law, and the well-being of the public. Republicanism has roots in the ancient political thought of Greece and Rome, particularly through the Roman Republic, which provided the foundational ideas of civic participation and the limitation of power. It was in the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods that these principles were revived and further refined, giving rise to modern republicanism as we know it today. 
  The core tenet of republicanism is that government should be based on consent of the governed. Unlike monarchies, where power is inherited or imposed, republicanism promotes a system in which rulers are elected by the people to serve their interests. This concept of popular sovereignty—government’s authority coming from the consent of the people—distinguishes republicanism from both monarchy and democracy. In republican systems, rulers are expected to act in the best interest of society, balancing the needs of the individual with those of the community, while also safeguarding the common good. 
  A key feature of republicanism is its emphasis on the separation of powers. Drawing from Montesquieu’s influence, republican thought advocates for dividing government authority into branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—in order to prevent any one entity from becoming too powerful. This system of checks and balances ensures that power is distributed and that no single branch or individual can dominate or misuse their authority. This is vital to maintaining the liberty of individuals within a republican system.

  Show book

• 

  The Bitter End - The 2020...

  Lynn Vavreck, John Sides, Chris...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The year 2020 was a tumultuous time in American politics. It brought a global pandemic, protests for racial justice, and a razor-thin presidential election outcome. It culminated in an attack on the US Capitol that attempted to deny Joe Biden's victory. The Bitter End explores the long-term trends and short-term shocks that shaped this dramatic year and what these changes could mean for the future. 
   
   
   
  John Sides, Chris Tausanovitch, and Lynn Vavreck demonstrate that Trump's presidency intensified the partisan politics of the previous decades. Presidential elections have become calcified, with less chance of big swings in either party's favor. Republicans remained loyal to Trump and kept the election close, despite Trump's many scandals, a recession, and the pandemic. But in a narrowly divided electorate even small changes can have big consequences. The pandemic was a case in point: when Trump pushed to reopen the country even as infections mounted, support for Biden increased. The authors explain that, paradoxically, even as Biden's win came at a time of heightened party loyalty, there remained room for shifts that shaped the election's outcome. Ultimately, the events of 2020 showed that instead of the country coming together to face national challenges—the pandemic, George Floyd's murder, and the Capitol riot—these challenges only reinforced divisions.

  Show book

• 

  Symbols of Freedom - Slavery and...

  Matthew J. Clavin

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  In the early United States, anthems, flags, holidays, monuments, and memorials were powerful symbols of an American identity that helped unify a divided people. A language of freedom played a similar role in shaping the new nation. Resonating across the country, they encouraged the creation of a republic where the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was universal. 
   
   
   
  For enslaved people and their allies, the language and symbols that served as national touchstones made a mockery of freedom. Yet, as author Matthew J. Clavin reveals, it was these powerful expressions of American nationalism that inspired forceful and even violent resistance to slavery. 
   
   
   
  Symbols of Freedom is the surprising story of how enslaved people and their allies drew inspiration from the language and symbols of American freedom. Mindful and proud that theirs was a nation born in blood, these disparate patriots fought to fulfill the republic's promise by waging war against slavery. 
   
   
   
  In a time when the US flag, the Fourth of July, and historical sites have never been more contested, this book reminds us that symbols are living artifacts whose power is derived from the meaning with which we imbue them.

  Show book

• 

  The China Freedom Trap - My Life...

  Dolkun Isa

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  From the president of The World Uyghur Congress, a nominee by Canadian and Finish parliamentarians for the Nobel Peace Prize, 2023
  		 
  Dolkun Isa was declared to be a terrorist by the Chinese Communist Party. His crime? Advocating for basic human, civil and religious freedoms for the people of East Turkestan. The country was taken over by the forces of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949. This was primarily achieved through persuasion as opposed to an armed invasion. What the leaders signed up for and were promised are why seventy years later, the Uygur people have been the subject of international headlines. Why have peaceful peoples been abused, terrorized and systematically used for slave labour and even murdered in camps by the Chinese Communist Party?
  		 
  In The China Freedom Trap, Dolkun Isa details his experiences working as an Uyghur political figure in the West and the barriers he has faced due to China's growing influence on liberal institutions. He describes his co-founding of the World Uyghur Congress and the ways in which China has attempted to disrupt and discredit Uyghur activism to further its agenda. Through its Transnational repression and significant influence in INTERPOL, China built a false narrative about Mr. Isa's work and life. Declaring him a separatist and terrorist, they convinced the agency to issue an INTERPOL Red Notice. That shadowed Isa for 21 years and almost cost him his life as he narrowly escaped extradition to China. During detention and deportation in democratic countries, Isa also finds himself uncovering corruption and peeling back the layers of the liberal institutions to see China at its rotting core.
  		 
  This book serves as a historical account of the political activities and behind-the-scenes diplomatic battles between China, the Uyghurs, and other interested or invested countries and institutions; a personal history of Isa’s struggle for the freedom of himself and his people; and ultimately, as a warning to other activists, policymakers, and interested parties: China's power and influence run more profound than most can fathom, they are growing, and they cannot be ignored.
  		 
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  		 
  Dolkun Isa is the President of the World Uyghur Congress.
  		 
  He was a student-leader in pro-democracy demonstrations at Xinjiang University in 1988. He founded the Students' Science and Culture Union at the university in 1987, working on programs to eliminate illiteracy, promote science and lead other students in East Turkistan. After enduring persecution from the Chinese government, he fled China in 1994, sought asylum in Europe, and became a German citizen in 2006. He has worked to mobilize the Uyghur diaspora community to collectively advocate for their rights. In 1997, an Interpol Red Notice was issued against him, deleted 21 years later, in 2018.
  		 
  Dolkun’s organization was nominated for the 2023 Noble Peace Prize, a testament to his dedication to enlightening the world about the plight of his fellow citizens from East Turkestan, better known as Xinjiang province.

  Show book