Reviews (19)

Keep an open mind, America!
Parenti's work, including this one, are indeed controversial...but that's exactly what I love about Parenti...his work provokes critical thinking on the reader's part...he offers an different view in viewing our political, societal system and history...and no, it's not poorly researched like some of these reviewers has claimed(please look at the history events and news from not just CNN)...and yes, it's opinionated, just as often times different history books all written in their own little biased views...therefore I encourage every reader to read this book, because of the angel that it offers...I think it's a great book that can shatter some people's realty in America, and creat many new critical thinkers of our time!

My college indoctrination
I had to read this book as a freshman in college in 1985 (it's since been updated). The professor offered an A to anyone who read it five times--so I did! As a result, I was stunted intellectually for several years, before I finally learned about some basic economic fallacies.
A note on scholarly writing
I am surprised at the lack of refutation of Mr. Sanchez's Oct. 30, 1998, comment to the effect that citation of one's own prior works is a sign of poor academic work.(One reviewer, OT "delirium_tremens", did an excellent job refuting many specious criticisms, but confessed he was not comfortable with the practice of citing one's own past work.)I would like to clear up this one point.
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Subjects:  1. 1945-1989    2. 1989-    3. Education    4. Elite (Social sciences)    5. General    6. Government - U.S. Government    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political Science    9. Political participation    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics and government    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Social Classes    14. United States    15. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    16. Political Science / General   

Reviews (74)

NOT ONLY FOR THE YEAR OF A SECOND STOLEN ELECTION
but a book for all time, as a remembrance of our past glory and our promise as a nation of moral and just people concerned for the well-being, liberty and justice of all, of government of the people by the people and for the people, and not only for and by the wealthiest war and petroleum multi-national corporations.
A Great Patriot
What a way with words.He says everything I was thinking and couldn't put into words.A wonderful book. I highly recommend it.Everyone should read it.

So Glad
I know this book has been out for a while, but it is still very relevent. Mr. Keillor takes the reader through the makings of a person who truly cares about others.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, American    3. Biography    4. Democracy    5. General    6. Government - U.S. Government    7. Keillor, Garrison    8. Keillor, Garrison - Prose & Criticism    9. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    10. Political Process - Elections    11. Political Science    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics and government    14. Politics/International Relations    15. Radio broadcasters    16. U.S. - Contemporary Politics    17. United States    18. Political Science / Democracy   

Subjects:  1. Africa - South - South Africa    2. History - General History    3. Military-Political Relationships    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Politics/International Relations    6. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    7. Police & security services    8. Political Science / Democracy    9. Republic of South Africa   

Reviews (9)

Activists for democracy: here's your guide to involvement!
Frances Moore Lappe has written a book that is easy to read, its pages filled with brief and concise facts and comparisons, and above all correct in its analysis of the state of American democracy. She doesn't leave the reader to guess about whether a new people's democracy is possible; she shows it coming into being in highly diverse settings. And if anyone has thought otherwise, she disabuses us of any idea that in the U.S. of A. we currently have democracy. It would be difficult to read this book all the way through and not find oneself eager to get involved.
We Need to be Reminded
Democracy's Edge is a collection of stories of ordinary people actively practicing what the author really correctly dubs Living Democracy.When I read this, the book reminded me straight on how fragile freedoms and protections are, how easily they can be dissolved or subverted by corporate, personal, and political greed...ambitions which truly stop for no man (or woman)in the quest for taking more, more, more. So if you're worried about the pollution, land grabbing, political manipulations of law, etc and want inspiration and some guidance on whether and how you can make a difference with just one voice, read this book.It's SO EASY to read, and lacks the fractious tone that many champions of our freedoms (read liberal or left-leaning)can take, and sometimes push people away with.

Real Democracy is possible here
Lappe plots the needs of the future.She points out what is needed for this country to become a real democracy.There are lots of resources for those determined to act. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Political Freedom & Security - General    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Science    6. Political participation    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. United States    10. Business & Management    11. Family & Health    12. Political Science / Democracy    13. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (111)

absolutely correct
This book has been attacked by many foolish people. This book will tell you the truth about the middle east. Nearly all arabs today are the slaves of murderous dictators. These dictators hate freedom. They teach their children from birth to hate freedom and destroy it.
frightening
An hysterical defense and rationalization of the neo-conservative creed of democratic imperialism. The real world consequences of that brand of trotskyism have proven ignoble enough not to insist here. To a certain extent this is a criminal book, yet another on an already too long list.

A must-read
This is, without doubt, the most incredible book I have ever read. It may completely change your opinions on foreign policy or may reinforce what you already believe, but it is sure to generate some response and some discussion. Sharansky respectfully tells it like it is: when politicians have been wrong, why they've been wrong, and what they should have done differently. His governmental criticism transcends party lines, and even Sharansky himself, a Jew and a member of numerous Israeli cabinets, says that a Palestinian state is the only way Israel will have peace. This book is everything you'd expect with everything you wouldn't - read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Despotism    3. Freedom    4. History & Theory - General    5. Liberty    6. Political And Civil Rights    7. Political Freedom & Security - General    8. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    9. Political Ideologies - Democracy    10. Political Science    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Political structures: democracy   

Reviews (1)

Original, provocative, thoughful
I think this is a brilliant book. A great selection of interesting and relevant ideas on art, politics and technology. Beautiful images too and well published. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. General    3. History & Theory - General    4. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    5. Philosophy    6. Political    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Representation (Philosophy)    11. Art / History / Modern (late 19th Century to 1945)    12. Political science & theory   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (149)

Everything Wrong with the Radical Right
This is an excellent book that deeply explores the history and politics of America's oil addiction, and how it is enslaving the U.S. to foreign countries. If you care about American democracy and America's independence, you will read this book.
Pretty good, but....
I agreed with much of this book.thought by the Title it would primarily be about the dangers of religion in politics. However, it seems the author thinks "radical secularism" is almost as bad as fundamentalism. It does paint a bleak picture of the future of America. Another problem was it was a bit boring at some points. Finally, a critique I have of quite a few books I have read recently. Authors, PLEASE stop using endnotes! They are very difficult to look up! Either (perferably) use footnotes (at the bottom of the page) or put notes at the end of each chapter.

A Missed Opportunity
Kevin Phillips picked a worthy set of topics but unfortunately, his diagnosis misses the boat.He tries to suggest that oil dependence, (Christian) religious fundamentalism and what he calls the "financialization" of the American economy hold great peril for the United States.He is right that the nation faces peril, but his preference to engage in feel good populism rather than truly identify policies and attitudes that put the nation at risk weakens his message.
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Subjects:  1. Budget deficits    2. Conservatism    3. Fundamentalism    4. Government - National    5. Government - U.S. Government    6. Petroleum    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Religion And Politics    11. Religion, Politics & State    12. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    13. United States    14. Political Science / Government / National   

Reviews (5)

Great read on the subject
I had to read this book for my introductory class in Public Policy, and that's exactly what it is meant to be.In a popular manner the authors present a rather controversial theory that America is not a popular democracy, and not even a pluralist society, but a country run by the few elites only. It provides a lot of anecdotes, controversial and interesting examples, which makes it a great reading not only for those who study public policy for career, but also would provide fascinating topics for lunch meetings.The price of over $70 it too much though.

Professor Zeigler
I had the opportunity to study under Harmon Zeigler at the University of Puget Sound.Because I too was assigned this text in my first poli-sci class in 1987, as well as AMERICA IN THE MEDIA AGE, I became interested in politics and majored in Politics and Government.Harmon Zeigler was my favorite professor, was the most informative and down to earth professor there, and he furthered my love and hate of politics.This book is definitely a must read for everyone, not just students.It will certainly offer the reader a very realistic view of the facts of American politics; it is not a democracy as the masses have very little if any influence, and those with the most to lose fight the hardest for the government to assist them in becoming more elitist.

The quality most introductory book don't have.
"The Irony of Democracy" was my college-level introduction to American politics, and I feel it provided me something far greater than any of the political/historical texts I read in high school. Instead of the same details of Democrats as the longest political party and Columbus crossing the ocean blue in 1492, Dye and Zeigler focus on the current United States political agendas and attempt to unravel how and why this country has developed as it has. Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. General    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Political Science / General    8. Political structures: democracy    9. USA   

Reviews (7)

Good Introduction
The authors make a noble effort to minimize bias and examine the various ideologies objectively.As a few of the negative reviews make clear, not everyone is satisfied with this book's objectivity.I would like to respectfully disagree and ask the reviewers to re-examine their own biases.

good
in good condition and received in a generally timely manner, but could've been done quicker

Poltical Ideologies as a textbook
I am currently using this book in a Honors American Political Science course at Georgia State University.This book is very informative and does not add superfluous information like most textbooks do.However, there are some terms in the text that we as a class have found to be a bit contradictory; such as the term "individual conservative".This seems to be an oxymoron and my professor actually contacted Ball who just basically dodged the question... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. History    3. Ideology    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Ideologies - General    6. Political Science    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Right and left (Political scie    10. Right and left (Political science)    11. Political ideologies   

Reviews (7)

Intuitive political observations that read like a travel-log
A wonderful study that reminds us of what America was meant to be while entertaining us with insightful, balanced, often prophetic, and provocative observations of our shortcomings.It is a record that reminds us of our better angels and calls us back to the high ideals that made America great.A reminder of a simpler but nobler time like a time-traveller's log of America's seedling ideals of a democratic-republic.Mr. de Tocqueville will help you regain your inner American and restore your faith in what America can be when she is cognizant of her founding principles.

Democracy in America is the sine qua non of political science in the USA!
Alexis De Tocqueville was a brilliant young French aristocrat when he arrived on the Yankee shore in 1831. De Tocqueville came to America to research penal conditions in a report to be submitted to the French Government. De Tocqueville did much more than that!
Astute Observer of America
De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that De Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks".De Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.
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Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Democracy    3. Fiction    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History & Theory - General    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Literature: Classics    8. Political Ideologies - Democracy    9. Politics and government    10. Social conditions    11. To 1865    12. United States    13. United States - General    14. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    15. History / United States / 19th Century    16. Other prose: 19th century    17. Political structures: democracy    18. USA    19. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Citizen participation    2. Democracy    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. Political    5. Political Freedom & Security - General    6. Political Ideologies - Democracy    7. Political Process - Elections    8. Political Science    9. Political culture    10. Political participation    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. United States    14. Law    15. Political Philosophy    16. Political Science / Democracy    17. Political Science and International Relations    18. Political science & theory    19. Political structures: democracy    20. Social & political philosophy    21. USA   

Reviews (70)

Amy goodman is an invalualble informer to the public!
This has to be one of the most insightful books that I've read all century (several years).
Information Reigns over Monarchy
Distibuting investigative reporting information in every way possible is important to leading mankind and the world into the future and preventing a recession into the chaotic tribal wacko nationalism of elitist government.This book does a great job of describing the elements and attitudes currently at work which are placing the United States and the world in great peril.Amy Goodman is clear and succinct in her delivery and avoids the appearance of liberal fanaticism which triggers blindness in many people.She has carried over this style from the Democracy Now! radio program that so effectively broadens the view of world news which has been sadly and horribly narrowed by the established media.

Exceptional book the delves deep into today's news
This is a great book that exposes many ugly, but important-to-know facts about our nation and world.
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Subjects:  1. Conspiracy & Scandal Investigations    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Journalism    4. Mass media    5. Political Ideologies - Democracy    6. Political Science    7. Political aspects    8. Political corruption    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. United States    12. United States - 21st Century    13. Political Science / Leadership   

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. General    3. Islam - General    4. Islam and politics    5. Middle East    6. Political Ideologies - Democracy    7. Political Science    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics and government    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Religion, Politics & State    12. Islam    13. Islamic countries    14. Political science & theory    15. Political structures: democracy   

Editorial Review

Most American conservatives take it as an article of faith that the less governmental involvement in affairs of the market and pocketbook the better. The rich do not, whatever they might say--for much of their wealth comes from the "power and preferment of government." So writes Kevin Phillips, the accomplished historian and one-time Washington insider, in this extraordinary survey of plutocracy, excess, and reform. "Laissez-faire is a pretense," he argues; as the wealth of the rich has grown, so has its control over government, making politics a hostage of money. Examining cycles of economic growth and decline from the founding days of the republic to the recent collapse of technology stocks, Phillips dispels notions of trickle-down wealth creation, pricks holes in speculative bubbles, and decries the ever-increasing "financialization" of the economy--all of which, he argues, have served to reduce the well-being of ordinary Americans and government alike. Highly readable for all its charts and graphs, Phillips's book offers a refreshing--and, of course, controversial--blend of economic history and social criticism. His conclusions won't please all readers, but just about everyone who comes to his pages will feel hackles rising. Read more

Reviews (131)

Intriguing in Places, Sermonizing in Others
Kevin Phillips is not a bad man. He genuinely has an interest in the admittedly complex topic of economics, wealth consolidation and its effects on democratic institutions. The problem with Phillips' book is not that he has shed his Republican affiliation to take up the cause of progressive crusading, but that it often shifts from the gripping to the mind-numbingly technical without warning.
The Game!
The middle class is not democratizing economically or politically.The middle class is not taking control of its money and instead the middle is rapidly transferring money from its savings into the massive market profits for the super rich.The middle class should immediately abandon any transfers from savings into the stock market and preserve their wealth, but instead they will be lured into hedge funds and mutual markets speculating that someday they will be super rich.
a modern day truth teller
I've always been impressed with the honesty and integrity of Kevin Phillips. Coming out of the conservative movement, Phillips nevertheless places truth, and a deep concern for the well being of American democracy, well over and above mere partisanship. The current corrupt leadership in Washington DC could learn a thing or two here, where Phillips turns a critical eye to the age old tension between democracy and the tendency toward an oligarchy. Lately, it seems that democracy has been the loser in this struggle.
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Subjects:  1. Economic Conditions    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Political corruption    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics and government    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Representative government and    11. Representative government and representation    12. United States    13. United States - General    14. Wealth    15. Political ideologies    16. Social Science / Poverty    17. Social history    18. USA   

Reviews (3)

Case Unproven
The great merit of this somber book is that it matter-of-factly includes the Armenian genocide along with the Holocaust as the two most important case studies that Mann examines.The two cases are linked by more than Hitler's infamous remark just before launching Operation Barbarossa "Who now speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians?"The Turkish genocide of the Armenians was also perpetuated by the leadership of a modernizing State, in the context of war, using its organizational and administrative resources to their fullest capacities in an attempt to murder as many members of an entire people as possible.For some reason, it does not sit well with many Holocaust scholars to refer to the tragic pioneering suffering of the Armenians at the hands of the Turks and their allies as genocide, but that was what it was.Mann acknowledges the similarities between the Armenian and Jewish experiences in this book, although he does not demonstrate particular insight into the events that produced the Armenian genocide.Nevertheless, in the prevailing climate of intellectual opinion, which forbids scholarly reference to the mass murders of the Armenians as a genocide, Mann's book constitutes a long step in the right direction.
Fair book, interesting thesis, but read his "Fascists" first
I liked this book, and found it to be a nice companion piece to Mann's book on fascists. In fact, I would say these two books are really best seen as two volumes of a single work on the forces that create and sustain organic nationalism, and then propel it down the path of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Is this specific work and the larger treatise on organic nationalism flawed? Yes, of course, every scholarly work is inherently flawed and incomplete -- experts on genocide will no doubt nit-pick his details here. But taken together Mann presents two works that are fairly compelling.
Comes Up Short
Ethnic cleansing has been practiced by signers of the Atlantic Charter in the past and continues to be practiced by emerging democracies of today.A book addressing this issue is a welcome addition to the literature of the evolving history of human rights.Thus it is with great anticipation that I turned to the "Dark Side of Democracy". Unfortunately, the book falls awfully short of its promise.Its title is misleading and it contains a large number of misstatements of facts and factual errors and omissions.
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Subjects:  1. Demography    2. Ethnicity    3. Genocide    4. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    5. Political Ideologies - Democracy    6. Political aspects    7. Political atrocities    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. State-sponsored terrorism    13. Ethnic studies    14. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (28)

Chomsky in a nutshell -- i.e., where he belongs
1) Open book; 2) the U.S. is the root cause of all bad things in the world; 3) repeat #2 until it's permanently imprinted on your brain; 4) close book.There, I've just saved you $11.

As always Noam Chomsky's books are a must read.
Excellent read, the author never fails to open ones eyes in his books.
Profit Over People: Neoliberalism & Global Order
Chomsky's Profit Over People is an insighful and at times shocking analysis of the true motives and practices of multinational corporations and the governement economic policies they operate within. Chomsky spares no time in hammering his message against the concentration of power in the hands of the few through the use of several detailed case studies. As a student of economics and finance at Oklahoma State University, this book caused me to step back and question the very foundation of Smith's free market theory which has comprised my studies thus far. As a reader, I became disgusted by the prospect of private interests having the ability to manipulate the world economy, government policy, and the subposively "free" press to serve their own greed-driven interests while watching the masses suffer.
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Subjects:  1. Consumption (Economics)    2. Democracy    3. Free Enterprise    4. General    5. History & Theory - General    6. Liberalism    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political Science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. History / United States / 20th Century    12. Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies   

Reviews (12)

This book was...
Fantastic; a book I would recommend to just about anyone.To address some of the critics mentioned in the other reviews: RE: "Dewey Dogma" (1) There is absolutely no pretense of an application of the scientific method, hence there can be no mis-application; (2) This book strikes me personally as one of the least dogmatic things I've ever read in my life.The ideas are fresh, original, and beautiful crafted and ordered; (3) "Education is Socialization" - an equation of broadly construed "-tions" that results in a statement that one can neither agree nor disagree with.
A milestone
This book is one of the great milestones of American history and philosophy and particularly education. It's as relevant today as the day it was written a century ago.

Democracy and Education
A must for any serious student of education and philosophy ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. General    4. History & Theory - General    5. Philosophy    6. Political Ideologies - Democracy    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Philosophy of education    9. Political Science / Democracy   

Reviews (4)

Happiness, not good enough as a goal?
This book is probably the most complete Western book about happiness. Robert Lane recommends that to the goal of happiness should be added the goals of justice and personal development.He uses "happiness" with the meaning of "satisfaction with life", or with "Subjective Well Being" (SWB). The difference being that happiness is a fleeting emotion and satisfaction with life a more profound view.