most crucial political, philosophical, or ideological book?

[themadscientist]

I assume most of us here, while savvy with the blogs and the google searches and the online databases, are familiar with the archaic storage medium called "a book." It's made of paper bound together with words on it. Print out the dailykos or the new republic, whatever site you frequent and arrange the pages in order, staple them on the side and you will have a book. Your friends will be amazed and think you are smarter. Anyway, inflammatory accusations aside; I bet we all have a book we find to be revolutionary, enlightening, thought-provoking, or definitive in the realm of political theory, philosophical taught, or logic. I have a few on my short list. Books that I have found sections of that I really respected, but have not had the time to actually read cover to cover. I'm not sure I could survive many of them. The old thinkers were so much more sophisticated and pure of thought that even in this day and age their idea and words still ring true and are the foundation upon which we still debate issues of the day. I hope some of your selections will be ones the rest of us don't know of, and we can be exposed to some ideas we hadn't seen. Let's see what you find crucial for the library. I get the easy ones, nyaa!

Two treatises on government by John Lockehttp://www.amazon.com/Two-Trea...r=8-4

Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes http://www.amazon.com/Leviatha...r=1-2

The art of war by Sun Tsuhttp://www.amazon.com/Art-War-...r=1-2

The wealth of nations by Adam Smithhttp://www.amazon.com/Inquiry-...r=1-3

[Kohster]

Mein Kampf

[Kohster]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d....25037

[C-Kwik]

Books? Who the hell has time for those? I watch the movie versions. I've seen Leviathan and Art of War.

[480sx]

The Founding Brothers - Joseph J. Ellis

You wont want to put it down. Easy, awesome read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Brothers

That wiki is pathetic..

Should have just fallen in line.

http://www.amazon.com/Founding...r=8-1

[szh]

Outstanding set on the American Civil War by Shelby Foote:

http://www.amazon.com/Civil-Wa...r=8-5

Was the source material for the PBS special many years ago.

I have read these fully at least 3 or 4 times and ... in fact ... I think I am going to go do it again soon.

Z

[Cold_Zero]

10 Books That Screwed Up the World and 5 That Didn't Help.

http://www.amazon.com/10-Books...r=8-1

Leviathan was in these lists of books.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

TMS actually STOLE my list. Good for him, seeing as a concentration of mine in college was political theory.

So I'm going to have to come up with a new one...

The single most definitive work of political writing is Plato's Republic.

No author since has been able to write without Plato's influence. Period, dot.

Other notable writers include Burke, Machiavelli, Marx, and Marcus Aurelius.

We can play with more obscure ones, if you'd like or if I'm feeling like showing off...

Mein Kampf

Ooooh, you're sooooo edgy! The Nazi book! Ooooh, ahhhh!

[Kohster]

Why would you think Mein Kampf is edgy?

[Kohster]

seeing as a concentration of mine in college was political theory.

A concentration of mine in college was Charleo's mom. Boy when she said "lets crack some books" she wasn't kidding!

[marlin29311]

So I'm going to have to come up with a new one...

The single most definitive work of political writing is Plato's Republic.

No author since has been able to write without Plato's influence. Period, dot.

I was going to say this too. No matter who you talk to, the Republic seems to be grounds for many people to base their philosophical thoughts.

Other fun reads:

Communist Manifesto - Karl Marx

Ecclesiastes - Old Testament (or Torah)

The Critique of Practical Reason - Kant

Meditations on First Philosophy - Rene Descartes

[Urabus GodofTraction]

A concentration of mine in college was Charleo's mom. Boy when she said "lets crack some books" she wasn't kidding!

Sorry, my mother has excellent tastes. You're not intelligent enough to stimulate her intellectually.

[bobotech]

Clarence the TV Dog

[BusyBadger]

The Decline of the West - Oswald Spengler

The History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell

Mein Kampf is a poorly wrtitten, plodding piece that even Mussolini criticized (he called it "boring" in one biography). In the interest of inclusion of WWII-era Germany though I highly recommend The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer even though its nearly 50 years old and far from subjective. For a take from the "opposite" side there's Albert Speer's Inside the Third Reich that he penned during his 20 year stay in Spandau.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Mein Kampf is a poorly wrtitten, plodding piece that even Mussolini criticized (he called it "boring" in one biography). In the interest of inclusion of WWII-era Germany though I highly recommend The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer even though its nearly 50 years old and far from subjective. For a take from the "opposite" side there's Albert Speer's Inside the Third Reich that he penned during his 20 year stay in Spandau.

And that's why anyone who lists it as the "most crucial" book is simply trying to get the "OMG, you read the Nazi book!?" attention. I wager most people who bring it up haven't read it.

I sure couldn't finish it.

[themadscientist]

Hitler reviews for IKEA now it seems.

Keep them books comin!

[Kohster]

Sorry, my mother has excellent tastes. You're not intelligent enough to stimulate her intellectually.

Don't worry, all she cares about is that I'm big enough to stimulate her vaginally.

She's a size queen, by the way.

[Kohster]

Hitler reviews for IKEA now it seems.

Keep them books comin!

[Cold_Zero]

Don't worry, all she cares about is that I'm big enough to stimulate her vaginally.

She's a size queen, by the way.

Please consider this your first and last warning. Making fun of other people's mothers in the politics forum is not germane to the discussion and considered an ad hominem attack.

bud

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Please consider this your first and last warning. Making fun of other people's mothers in the politics forum is not germane to the discussion and considered an ad hominem attack.

bud

Man he took the bait well...

Kohster pretty much lives on ad hominem.

Another choice book: Man, the State, and War by Kenneth Waltz

[srellim234]

Another good book: The New Testament of the Bible. Instead of perverting what's in it, Republican leaders should try actually reading it and following it for a change. Acceptance, tolerance, respect for others, helping the downtrodden, honoring vows and promises as well as avoiding a theocracy come to mind....

[Cold_Zero]

My suggestion would be the Bible, not just the New Testament.bud

[klewis486]

Anything would be the books that religions are based on are philosophical and thought-provoking: Bible, Torah, Koran, etc.

[4cefed]

"A Brave New Wold" Auldus Huxley

"1984" George Orwell

[DroptopDrifting]

The Hero With A Thousand faces by Joseph Campbell

[smockers83]

Another good book: The New Testament of the Bible. Instead of perverting what's in it, Republican leaders should try actually reading it and following it for a change. Acceptance, tolerance, respect for others, helping the downtrodden, honoring vows and promises as well as avoiding a theocracy come to mind....

Democratic leaders can't be put under this rule either?

The only one I can't really make a claim against would be helping the downtrodden because that's what they claim to do. However, I'm sure after some analysis that it could be found that their policies actually make the downtrodden worse off, such as rent control laws. Ooo, I just found one, never mind.

Democratic representatives in southeastern Michigan are going through a hard time right now. So far, two highly thought of families (certain members) in the Democratic party in Michigan have been convicted of extortion, bribery, perjury, misuse of government property, affairs, among other corruption-related crimes.

Bernard Madoff was a democrat, although not a public servant. Anyone else find it ironic that his last name is Madoff?
Modified by smockers83 at 7:53 PM 6/29/2009

[Kenrik]

Atlas Shrugged

[BusyBadger]

I was wondering how long it was going to be until that one got posted. I've been meaning to pick up a copy of this but all the stores have it in trade or hardback only. Time for a trip to Amazon.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Honestly, I don't see the big deal with the Art of War. Most of what it talks about is tremendously basic and obvious. If you have more men you have better odds. Directly attacking well defended targets is unwise. Winning with the least amount of fighting is ideal. Maintaining a balance of power on the battlefield is crucial. You can't expect poor leaders to achieve good results. Of course...next you're going to tell me I'm supposed to use the accelerator in my car when I want to speed up.

[DroptopDrifting]

Honestly, I don't see the big deal with the Art of War. Most of what it talks about is tremendously basic and obvious. If you have more men you have better odds. Directly attacking well defended targets is unwise. Winning with the least amount of fighting is ideal. Maintaining a balance of power on the battlefield is crucial. You can't expect poor leaders to achieve good results. Of course...next you're going to tell me I'm supposed to use the accelerator in my car when I want to speed up.

also, use your brakes when you want to slow down.