*The Great U75 Politics Reading List Thread.

[Idris2002]

Yes Mike Davis.

I heard him speak last year (his wife's in the yank SWP, and they brought him over).

His Ecology of Fear is also very good.

Basically it's about how the introduction of a high-consumption capitalist social model into the environment of southern California invites environmental disaster, and how the consequent feelings of fear are manifested in social policy, popular culture etc.

It's one of those books that could easily have been expanded into five different volumes, and apparently some more fact-checking would have been in order, but overall it's well worth reading.

 

[the scouser]

Mr Murder by Dean Koontz

No - not a strictly political book - but it is in a way cos it uses a lot of facts about surveilence techniques, although the book is, horror and murder.

You'll meet a genetically altered bloke - Mr Murder - a government killing machine - theres a movie out also - but its a pile of absolute shite - ignore that .

Mr Murder works for the USA govt - he;'s a baddie in every sense of the word - the opening chapter will shock you by its brutality - but this isn't a gore festival - its a clever story of good vs evil.

If your looking for something with more entertainment value that the collected works of what Marx said in his sleep - Mr Murder will have you gripped - a book you won't be able to put down if you get past the first chapter -

 

[Rich Lyon]

F.A. Hayek, "The Road To Serfdom" [link to condensed version]

An extraordinarily clear dissection of why any society constructed around Collective principles is bound to fail and inevitably lead its citizens down the road to Serfdom.

Many socialists have the tragic illusion that by depriving private individuals of the power they possess in an individualist system, and transferring this power to society, they thereby extinguish power. What they overlook is that, by concentrating power so that it can be used in the service of a single plan, it is not merely transformed but infinitely heightened. ...

Who can seriously doubt that the power which a millionaire, who may be my employer, has over me is very much less than that which the smallest bureaucrat possesses who wields the coercive power of the state and on whose discretion it depends how I am allowed to live and work?

If you rise from your bed every morning and give thanks that you are free to live that day in a manner of your own choosing, read this book to understand how that can be taken away from you.

If, on the other hand, you rise from your bed imagining your lot could be a better one if the tall ears of corn in society were chopped down to size, read the book and at least ensure your arguments survive the challenges he poses to your philosophy.

 

[sleaterkinney]

From the other side ish:

Francis Fukuyama - The End of History and the Last Man

 

[technocat]

New book I got today from Books Etc if anyone is in there sometime, read the first couple of chapters, excellent so far (and it's American which is encouraging!!!)

"Weapons Of Mass Deception" by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber (Robinson)

 

[fela fan]

"Priests and Politicians - The Mafia of the Soul" by Osho.

He blames them, in that order, for all the ills of the world.

I agree. A world without politics and religions disguised as doctrines, would be a far saner place.

People would be better off without all this divisiveness. Ban isms i say.

 

[sipriano]

Eclipse and re-emergence of the communist movement, by barrot and martin.

The militant attitude is indeed counter-revolutionary, in so far as it splits the
individual into two, seperating his needs, his real individual and social needs,
the reasons why he cannot stand the present world, from his action, his attempt to change this world. The militant refuses to admit that he is in fact
revolutionary because he needs to change his own life as well as society in general. He represses the impulse which made him turn against society.
He submits to revolutionary action as if it was external to him: it is fairly easy
to see the moral character of this attitude. This was already wrong and conservative in the past, today it becomes increasingly reactionary.

An influential book.

 

[Ground Elder]

'the english rebels' - not sure about the author.

Charles Poulson.

 

[rebel warrior]

Mike Davis - Late Victorian Holocausts - facinating history of the man made famines in the late 19th century which Davis holds the weather, British imperialism and economic depression to blame for.

Also Kaka Tim was surprised that 'no one has suggested this one yet - 'the communist manifesto'
- by some german bloke writing in the 1840s.
Very readable and full of fantastic phrases and surprsingly contempoary in much of its analysis.' Er, True but I did note it earlier.

 

[The Black Hand]

Try Customs In Common by EP Thompson.
Domination and the arts of resistance by James C. SCott,
The London Hanged by Peter Linebaugh. Reprinted this year by Verso.

I'll put up more later.....

 

[ebony4]

Antjie Krog: Country of my skull; Guilt, sorrow and the limits of forgiveness in the new South Africa, (three rivers press 2000)

Edwars Said, Covering Islam

Nelson Mandela, Long walk to freedom

Terry Bell & Dumisa Buhle Ntsebeza, Unfinnished Buisness.

 

[nomoney]

not forgetting about the free monthly 'Socialist Standard' from
52 clapham high st, SW4 7UN
or full version online

it's a rather theorethical magazine - so even the archives are interesting to read

 

[ewok]

ragged trousered philantropist - robert tressell.

 

[eskimo]

Originally posted by sleaterkinney
From the other side ish:

Francis Fukuyama - The End of History and the Last Man

yes, very interesting

 

[mears]

Ayn Rand
Fiction: Atlas Shrugged
Non-fiction: The Virtue of Selfishness

 

[butchersapron]

Correction - both are works of fiction.

 

[Pickman's model]

a history of the twentieth century, martin gilbert (3 vols).

or a history of the twentieth century.

helps for knowing what happened when, and hopefully why.

 

[pilchardman]

Originally posted by mears
Ayn Rand
Fiction: Atlas Shrugged

I know I'm not supposed to do this, but, even though I think people should be aware of Objectivism, I wouldn't recommend this piss-poor murder mystery on anyone. It is one of the most badly written books I have ever read.

(And I'm not just saying that because I disagree with the philosophy; good writing can be achieved regardless of philosophy).

 

[Gumbert]

The Struggle Against Fascism in Germany : Leon Trotsky (pathfinder)

The Nazis, Capitalism and the Working Class : Donny Gluckstein (bookmarks)

Both are very apt reading for today. Showing the diabolical stalinist zigzag policies of the KPD (listening to Moscow) and the nullifying effects of the SPDs reformism under pressure.

Both the KPD and SPD missing historic opportunities to smash the Nazis via the united front that both above books reiterate.

 

[mears]

Originally posted by pilchardman
I know I'm not supposed to do this, but, even though I think people should be aware of Objectivism, I wouldn't recommend this piss-poor murder mystery on anyone. It is one of the most badly written books I have ever read.

(And I'm not just saying that because I disagree with the philosophy; good writing can be achieved regardless of philosophy).

Than why do it?

Everyone should read Atlas Shrugged. One of the best books ever written. Besides her philosophy is better than the Marxist, socialist drivel that has been practiced with dismal results in so many countries.

 

[butchersapron]

No one should read Atlas shrugged - it's shit. I can smell it from here.

If that makes me a commie/nazi then i just guess i am.

And if you want to discuss it, you've got to do a new thread.

See them stampede to discuss...

 

[mears]

Originally posted by butchersapron
No one should read Atlas shrugged - it's shit. I can smell it from here.

If that makes me a commie/nazi then i just guess i am.

And if you want to discuss it, you've got to do a new thread.

See them stampede to discuss...

Why the hostility? I just posted a couple of writings from an author I admire. And your list?

www.aynrand.org

 

[butchersapron]

'Cos you can't spell Marx.

And for this lazy shit:

"Besides her philosophy is better than the Marxist, socialist drivel that has been practiced with dismal results in so many countries."

Now, another thread if you want to discuss your choices.

I'll not post in reply to you here.

 

[mears]

Originally posted by butchersapron
'Cos you can't spell Marx.

And for this lazy shit:

"Besides her philosophy is better than the Marxist, socialist drivel that has been practiced with dismal results in so many countries."

Now, another thread if you want to discuss your choices.

I'll not post in reply to you here.

Like your list Einstein, very comprehensive. You have been doing some very good reading and DEEP thinking. An intellectual giant

 

[butchersapron]

I think my list still beats yours.

 

[mears]

Originally posted by butchersapron
I think my list still beats yours.

Yes deep thinker, it is a long, interesting list...

 

[Hollis]

And may I recommend:

John Major: 'The Autobiography'

A compelling account of how Major's principles & vision transformed society during the first half of the 90s.

 

[Gumbert]

Originally posted by Hollis
And may I recommend:

John Major: 'The Autobiography'

A compelling account of how Major's principles & vision transformed society during the first half of the 90s.

This reminds me of a books from the other side:

Alan Clark's Diaries.

Shows just what sexist bigotted hatefilled scumbags inhabit the rich and powerful

 

[WasGeri]

A book I can highly recommend, is called 'With Extreme Prejudice' by Martin Walker - it's the true story of Steven Shaw, a student at Machester University, and his experiences of police brutality/corruption in the 1980s. Absolutely shocking.

 

[PearlySpencer]

In no particular order:

Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist
Alexander Berkman

Bakunin on anarchism
Sam Dolgoff(ed)

Leaving the 20th Century - The incomplete work of the situationist international.
Chris Gray(ed)

Mutual Aid
Peter Kropotkin

The Conquest of Bread
Peter Kropotkin

The Revolution of Everyday Life
Raoul Vaneigem

The Book of Pleasures
Raoul Vaneigem

Moving Forward - Program for a participatory economy.
Michael Albert

Lessons of the Spanish Revolution
Vernon Richards

Malatesta - Life and Ideas
Vernon Richards(ed)

The Russian Tragedy
Alexander Berkman

The Ego and its Own
Max Stirner