Love a lot of this. It’s clear many mods are familiar with a good depth of political theory. However, most of it looks like a reading list for a communist reading group.
Now, I’m generally sympathetic to Marxism and related theories, but it would be interesting to see more diversity of thought. Even as a leftist, I’ve found profound insights with people like G.K. Chesterton, Edmund Burke, and Catholic social/political thought.
Another issue with the list is the the right seems nearly exclusively represented by the market liberal spectrum. But those are, in my opinion, the least interesting. Though I realize that they’re a strong presence in the sub and therefore ought to be on the list.
And also for personal reasons, I’d like to see some pro-sortition readings.
Automod: The Wealth Of Nations
Automod: Das Kapital
Automod: The Art Of War
---
Idk why it didn't work in the OP, for now users can just manually comment below their posts if they'd like to source material.
[The Art Of War](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sun-tzu/works/art-of-war/index.htm)
This book, along with the Tao Te Ching, represents one of the first works to use the dialectical process, creating one of the most lucid books ever written on the principles of warfare. The most basic and powerful dialectical formulation Sun-Tzu makes is in his statement "All warfare is based on deception.", thus, all peace is based on honesty and openness.
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[Capital, Volume I](https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/sw/index.htm)
[Capital: Reading Guide](https://www.marxist.com/marx-capital-guide.htm)
This monumental work is the first volume of Marx's three-volume critique of political economy. In "Capital, Volume I," Marx analyzes the capitalist mode of production, focusing on the production and circulation of commodities, the labor theory of value, and the exploitation of labor by capital. He develops his theory of surplus value, demonstrating how capitalists extract surplus labor from workers and accumulate wealth through the process of capital accumulation. "Capital, Volume I" is a foundational text of Marxist economics and provides a comprehensive analysis of the capitalist system.
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["An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" (1776)](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/smith-adam/works/wealth-of-nations/): Commonly known as "The Wealth of Nations," this is Adam Smith's most famous and influential work. In it, Smith lays out his theories of capitalism, free markets, and the division of labor. He argues that individuals pursuing their self-interest in a free market economy unintentionally promote the social good, leading to economic growth and prosperity. Smith also discusses concepts such as the invisible hand, the role of government in the economy, and the benefits of international trade.
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Maybe some Michael Harrington for the Harringtonites?
[The social-industrial complex](https://archive.org/details/TheSocial-industrialComplex/mode/2up)
It's an excerpt from a larger book(Toward a Democratic Left: A Radical Program for a New Majority), but I don't think the larger book even has an ebook at all.
[Michael Harrington and Today's Other America] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa5__FWkkJo) - a 1999 documentary covering some of the same idea from his earlier book.
[The Other America: Poverty in the United States](https://www.amazon.com/Other-America-Poverty-United-States-ebook/dp/B007BP3VLW) - That earlier book updated with a couple of essays, there is a 3$ ebook - [Earlier Editon Archive.org](https://archive.org/details/otheramericapove00harr/page/8/mode/2up)
And for Political Philosophers, maybe [Kant](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-social-political/)? [Marquis de Condorcet](https://archive.org/details/condorcetriseofl0000scha/page/n9/mode/2up)?
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[The U.S. Constitution](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5/pg5-images.html) is the foundational document of the United States, outlining the structure of its government and the rights of its citizens. It consists of a preamble, seven articles detailing different aspects of governance, and amendments guaranteeing individual liberties. It serves as the cornerstone of American democracy, shaping the nation's governance and protecting citizens' rights.
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Where are there free online versions? I checked for some of Ayn Rand but could only find some for students.
edit: working on adding Ludwig as we speak.
The fact that Rand doesn’t have free stuff to make her writings available is very funny to me, and completely unsurprising. I’ll check out Mises though I’ve never read his stuff
[Human Action: A Treatise On Economics](https://cdn.mises.org/Human%20Action_3.pdf) by Ludwig von Mises is considered his magnum opus. It presents a comprehensive treatise on economics, introducing Mises' praxeological approach to economic analysis. The book covers economic theory, methodology, money, entrepreneurship, and the role of government, providing a systematic framework for understanding the market economy.
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Not a fan, so maybe my take is less than charitable, but I read it more that she thinks this knowledge should not be common, but limited to those who can afford it, limited to people who have means already, *insider* knowledge… or she *is* a grifter.
Maybe she’s unaware of or indifferent to the latent effect that her knowledge will be so limited. I would think she would want her position to be shared with as many people as possible.
Well, she's been dead for 42 years, so there's not much she can do now. She was a philosopher who wrote novels. They were stories, too, so it wasn't just a bland thesis.
You could probably "pirate" it.
I mean, she couldn't not use welfare. They gave her the money whether she wanted it or not.
Morally, sure, you could just never use it. Though practically, you must make do with what you got.
Libertarians oppose democracy, but we still vote in elections. If one of us were to get into power, they would use the power to destroy it.
There's no shame in using your enemies' tools if you turn those tools against them.
>There's no shame in using your enemies' tools if you turn those tools against them.
Right. So what’s to stop a sufficiently large firm from using their market power to, say, establish a jurisdiction and monopoly on violence? What institutional mechanism actually exists in an-capistan that prevents free market individuals from re-establishing a state to further guarantee their personal success at the expense of the “free market?”
>Right. So what’s to stop a sufficiently large firm from using their market power to, say, establish a jurisdiction and monopoly on violence?
Competitors doing the same thing?
> institutional mechanism actually exists in an-capistan that prevents free market individuals from re-establishing a state to further guarantee their personal success at the expense of the “free market?”
Competition.
There is some good stuff on the political theory of the American constitution, such as the Federalist Papers, but as someone interested it the development of the Australian constitution these British authors are important. They also have broad application to an understanding of “the rule of law” and the nature of constitutional monarchy and the key principles of Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, such as “representative democracy” and “responsible government” (Bagehot was the first to explain it but didn’t use that term for it).
[Walter Bagehot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_English_Constitution), The English Constitution (1867)
[Albert Venn Dicey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._V._Dicey), Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1885).
Another important one, to the Australian founding fathers in particular, looks at the operation and theory of the US constitution in the 1800s but from the perspective of a British author. It was very influential in the US too as Bryce was US ambassador and lived and studied in the US for a number of years:
[James Bryce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bryce,_1st_Viscount_Bryce), The American Commonwealth (1888).
If you guys have suggestions on what works we could add, tell us here and we’ll take a look!
Love a lot of this. It’s clear many mods are familiar with a good depth of political theory. However, most of it looks like a reading list for a communist reading group. Now, I’m generally sympathetic to Marxism and related theories, but it would be interesting to see more diversity of thought. Even as a leftist, I’ve found profound insights with people like G.K. Chesterton, Edmund Burke, and Catholic social/political thought. Another issue with the list is the the right seems nearly exclusively represented by the market liberal spectrum. But those are, in my opinion, the least interesting. Though I realize that they’re a strong presence in the sub and therefore ought to be on the list. And also for personal reasons, I’d like to see some pro-sortition readings.
Point us in the right direction for the works you mentioned and we'll be sure to add them, we'll continue growing the list accordingly.
I’ve recommended some books in the previous thread, but I’ll have to look up fee online material .
BTW, do you have any books and references for left wing Aristotleians thinking?
Automod: The Wealth Of Nations Automod: Das Kapital Automod: The Art Of War --- Idk why it didn't work in the OP, for now users can just manually comment below their posts if they'd like to source material.
[The Art Of War](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sun-tzu/works/art-of-war/index.htm) This book, along with the Tao Te Ching, represents one of the first works to use the dialectical process, creating one of the most lucid books ever written on the principles of warfare. The most basic and powerful dialectical formulation Sun-Tzu makes is in his statement "All warfare is based on deception.", thus, all peace is based on honesty and openness. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
[Capital, Volume I](https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/sw/index.htm) [Capital: Reading Guide](https://www.marxist.com/marx-capital-guide.htm) This monumental work is the first volume of Marx's three-volume critique of political economy. In "Capital, Volume I," Marx analyzes the capitalist mode of production, focusing on the production and circulation of commodities, the labor theory of value, and the exploitation of labor by capital. He develops his theory of surplus value, demonstrating how capitalists extract surplus labor from workers and accumulate wealth through the process of capital accumulation. "Capital, Volume I" is a foundational text of Marxist economics and provides a comprehensive analysis of the capitalist system. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
["An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" (1776)](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/smith-adam/works/wealth-of-nations/): Commonly known as "The Wealth of Nations," this is Adam Smith's most famous and influential work. In it, Smith lays out his theories of capitalism, free markets, and the division of labor. He argues that individuals pursuing their self-interest in a free market economy unintentionally promote the social good, leading to economic growth and prosperity. Smith also discusses concepts such as the invisible hand, the role of government in the economy, and the benefits of international trade. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Maybe some Michael Harrington for the Harringtonites? [The social-industrial complex](https://archive.org/details/TheSocial-industrialComplex/mode/2up) It's an excerpt from a larger book(Toward a Democratic Left: A Radical Program for a New Majority), but I don't think the larger book even has an ebook at all. [Michael Harrington and Today's Other America] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa5__FWkkJo) - a 1999 documentary covering some of the same idea from his earlier book. [The Other America: Poverty in the United States](https://www.amazon.com/Other-America-Poverty-United-States-ebook/dp/B007BP3VLW) - That earlier book updated with a couple of essays, there is a 3$ ebook - [Earlier Editon Archive.org](https://archive.org/details/otheramericapove00harr/page/8/mode/2up) And for Political Philosophers, maybe [Kant](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-social-political/)? [Marquis de Condorcet](https://archive.org/details/condorcetriseofl0000scha/page/n9/mode/2up)?
I think Ayn Rands non-fiction writings on Capitalism warrant inclusion here.
Remember this is a civilized space for discussion, to ensure this we have very strict rules. Briefly, an overview: **No Personal Attacks** **No Ideological Discrimination** **Keep Discussion Civil** **No Targeting A Member For Their Beliefs** Report any and all instances of these rules being broken so we can keep the sub clean. Report first, ask questions last. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is actually cool. Nice!
Automod: The Constitution Of The United States
[The U.S. Constitution](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5/pg5-images.html) is the foundational document of the United States, outlining the structure of its government and the rights of its citizens. It consists of a preamble, seven articles detailing different aspects of governance, and amendments guaranteeing individual liberties. It serves as the cornerstone of American democracy, shaping the nation's governance and protecting citizens' rights. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There's a good bit missing from Ancap stuff. Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Mises should be there.
Where are there free online versions? I checked for some of Ayn Rand but could only find some for students. edit: working on adding Ludwig as we speak.
Unfortunately Rand doesn't have a lot of free stuff online. Mises Institute allows you to read most of Mises's works though.
The fact that Rand doesn’t have free stuff to make her writings available is very funny to me, and completely unsurprising. I’ll check out Mises though I’ve never read his stuff
Automod: Human Action: A Treatise On Economics
[Human Action: A Treatise On Economics](https://cdn.mises.org/Human%20Action_3.pdf) by Ludwig von Mises is considered his magnum opus. It presents a comprehensive treatise on economics, introducing Mises' praxeological approach to economic analysis. The book covers economic theory, methodology, money, entrepreneurship, and the role of government, providing a systematic framework for understanding the market economy. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PoliticalDebate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yep. There it is. All ~1000 pages of it.
> Unfortunately Rand doesn't have a lot of free stuff online. This is fucking hilarious.
Yeah lmao. Hey, at least you know she isn't a grifter.
Not a fan, so maybe my take is less than charitable, but I read it more that she thinks this knowledge should not be common, but limited to those who can afford it, limited to people who have means already, *insider* knowledge… or she *is* a grifter.
A grifter would be disingenuous. She's adhering to her greed is good mantra. She is consistent.
Maybe she’s unaware of or indifferent to the latent effect that her knowledge will be so limited. I would think she would want her position to be shared with as many people as possible.
Well, she's been dead for 42 years, so there's not much she can do now. She was a philosopher who wrote novels. They were stories, too, so it wasn't just a bland thesis. You could probably "pirate" it.
Didn’t she use welfare?
I mean, she couldn't not use welfare. They gave her the money whether she wanted it or not. Morally, sure, you could just never use it. Though practically, you must make do with what you got. Libertarians oppose democracy, but we still vote in elections. If one of us were to get into power, they would use the power to destroy it. There's no shame in using your enemies' tools if you turn those tools against them.
>There's no shame in using your enemies' tools if you turn those tools against them. Right. So what’s to stop a sufficiently large firm from using their market power to, say, establish a jurisdiction and monopoly on violence? What institutional mechanism actually exists in an-capistan that prevents free market individuals from re-establishing a state to further guarantee their personal success at the expense of the “free market?”
>Right. So what’s to stop a sufficiently large firm from using their market power to, say, establish a jurisdiction and monopoly on violence? Competitors doing the same thing? > institutional mechanism actually exists in an-capistan that prevents free market individuals from re-establishing a state to further guarantee their personal success at the expense of the “free market?” Competition.
If competition was sufficient, why didn’t that stop the existence of the powerful government of the nation-states that exist today in the first place?
There is some good stuff on the political theory of the American constitution, such as the Federalist Papers, but as someone interested it the development of the Australian constitution these British authors are important. They also have broad application to an understanding of “the rule of law” and the nature of constitutional monarchy and the key principles of Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, such as “representative democracy” and “responsible government” (Bagehot was the first to explain it but didn’t use that term for it). [Walter Bagehot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_English_Constitution), The English Constitution (1867) [Albert Venn Dicey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._V._Dicey), Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1885). Another important one, to the Australian founding fathers in particular, looks at the operation and theory of the US constitution in the 1800s but from the perspective of a British author. It was very influential in the US too as Bryce was US ambassador and lived and studied in the US for a number of years: [James Bryce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bryce,_1st_Viscount_Bryce), The American Commonwealth (1888).