Recommend Political Science Literature

[Del]

Once I finish "The Brothers Karamazov" I'm going to start on a Political Science kick.

I found Emmanuel Goldstein's book in 1984 very interesting and I've been told that Emmanuel Goldstein was intended to represent Trotsky, so can anyone recommend some works by Trotsky?

Other non-Trotsky recommendations are great too.

[crisaor]

Trotsky hasn't written a book in the general sense of the term. Just like Lenin, most of his works are series of essays edited in series of books by different companies, which vary depending on what place you live.
My recommendations:
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Ends and Means, by Aldous Huxley
My socialism, by Gandhi
The Way of Socialism, by Gandhi
Communist Manifesto, by Karl Marx/Frederick Engels
Das Kapital, by Karl Marx
On Television, by Pierre Bourdieu
Thought and Action, by Pierre Bourdieu
Rogue States, Pirates and Emperors, and many others by Noam Chomsky
Economy and Society, Max Weber
History of the XX Century, by Eric Hobsbawm
Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy, by Joseph Schumpeter

That's all I can think of right now. I hope it helps.

[Alicia713]

Machiavelli's The Prince

[Del]

Trotsky hasn't written a book in the general sense of the term. Just like Lenin, most of his works are series of essays edited in series of books by different companies, which vary depending on what place you live.
My recommendations:
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Ends and Means, by Aldous Huxley
My socialism, by Gandhi
The Way of Socialism, by Gandhi
Communist Manifesto, by Karl Marx/Frederick Engels
Das Kapital, by Karl Marx
On Television, by Pierre Bourdieu
Thought and Action, by Pierre Bourdieu
Rogue States, Pirates and Emperors, and many others by Noam Chomsky
Economy and Society, Max Weber
History of the XX Century, by Eric Hobsbawm
Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy, by Joseph Schumpeter

That's all I can think of right now. I hope it helps.


Thanks. Do you recommend reading all volumes of Das Kapital or just the first?

[Robert E Lee]

It's not a book, but you should definitely read The Doctrine of Fascism by Mussolini. I swear by that work.

[crisaor]

Thanks. Do you recommend reading all volumes of Das Kapital or just the first?
All volumes, if possible (and if you're up to it :)). Most of the times, Marx deals with the way the presence of the capital alters the social relationships between the capitalists and the workers, opposing Ricardo's view that those relationships were simply a trade of merchandises. I believe that the first volume was the one he managed to edit according to his liking. The second one was written by him but never revisioned, and the third volume (which was supposed to deal with the social classes more throughly) was a recopilation of his texts. That's why (theoretically) the volumes decrease in length.

[Diceman]

"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.

Not the best story, and some weak cliched characterisation, but really the novel is just a vehicle for Ms. Rand's political ideals. For all its failings as a novel, it certainly got me thinking. While I disagree with Ms. Rand's ultimate conclusion, I agree wholeheartedly with her premises and her criticisms of society.

[Sycron]

It really depends on where you come from in the political spectrum. If you'd like to get a sampling of many different views then I'd suggest the following:

Communism - The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels
Conservatism/Objectivism - Atlas Shrugged by Rand
- Fountainhead by Rand
Anarchism - Anything by Emma Goldman
Liberalism/Utilitarianism - On Liberty by Mill

[Art]

Trotsky hasn't written a book in the general sense of the term. Just like Lenin, most of his works are series of essays edited in series of books by different companies, which vary depending on what place you live.


I think Trotsky did write The History of the Russian Revolution, and at over 1200 pages I would consider that a book 'in the general sense of the term' :)

[crisaor]

I think Trotsky did write The History of the Russian Revolution, and at over 1200 pages I would consider that a book 'in the general sense of the term' :)
You're right. He did wrote it himself, it wasn't a recopilation as I believed. In fact, I checked and it seems that he also wrote an autobiography. Thanks for clearing that up. :)

[Art]

You're right. He did wrote it himself, it wasn't a recopilation as I believed. In fact, I checked and it seems that he also wrote an autobiography. Thanks for clearing that up. :)

Wasn't trying to nitpick, its just that I have had that book sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read for quite some time, it just seems quite a daunting task! :)