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Genres › Politics

Common Sense
Thomas Paine
10 days •
ⓘ 1776 • Written as the American British colonies wavered over the question of independence, Paine's concise and approachable arguments convinced the colonies to become a country.
Rights of Man
Thomas Paine
36 days •
ⓘ 1791 • Writing in support of the in-progress French Revolution, Paine argues in favor of popular revolution against a government that no longer defends or respects its citizens' natural rights.
The Iron Heel
Jack London
37 days •
ⓘ 1908 • One of the earliest modern dystopian novels, London chronicles the oppressions of an oligarchic tyranny in the United States.
Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes
89 days •
ⓘ 1651 • One of the earliest works exploring the relationship between individuals and the state. With an eye on the English Civil War, Hobbes argues in favor of an absolute sovereign to hold society together.
All Things Considered
G.K. Chesterton
23 days •
ⓘ 1908 • Essays and musings on wine, fairy tales, and windswept hats from one of England's most celebrated writers.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Mary Wollstonecraft
37 days •
ⓘ 1792 • One of the earliest works of feminist philosophy. Wollstonecraft argues women deserve the same fundamental rights as men, should not be treated as property to be traded in marriage, and should have access to education.
The Art of War
Sun Tzu
5 days •
ⓘ 500 BC • An ancient Chinese military treatise looked upon as a definitive work on strategy and tactics. It has influenced military thinking worldwide.
The Prince
Niccolò Machiavelli
11 days •
ⓘ 1532 • An examination of the art of the state: how to attain, retain, and wield political power.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
24 days •
ⓘ 1791 • Politician, philosopher, printer, scientist, international celebrity, and one of the most colorful of the founding fathers. Franklin tells of his life in his own words.
The Communist Manifesto
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
5 days •
ⓘ 1848 • "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles" argue Marx and Engels in this, their world-shaking political pamphlet advocating for socialism over capitalism.
The Republic
Plato
42 days •
ⓘ 380 BC • One of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory, Plato discusses - through a dialogue between Socrates and three interlocutors - the nature of justice and what it means to a community, and to an individual.
The Federalist Papers
Publius
74 days •
ⓘ 1788 • A collection of 85 essays written under the pseudonym Publius by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the new United States Constitution.
The Subjection of Women
John Stuart Mill
16 days •
ⓘ 1869 • Mill argues men and women are equal and deserve equal rights - including the right to vote. Such equality benefits all of society.
Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville
103 days •
ⓘ 1835 • Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville journeys through a new land, where the experiment of democracy has been put to the test for several centuries: America.
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
89 days •
ⓘ 1885 • An autobiography focusing on Grant's military career during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. Published posthumously by Mark Twain.
The Wealth of Nations
Adam Smith
116 days •
ⓘ 1776 • A fundamental work in classical economics. Scottish economist Smith, writing at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, describes an open economy able to regulate itself.
The Ethics
Benedict de Spinoza
30 days •
ⓘ 1677 • A masterpiece of Enlightenment-era philosophy.
Utopia
Thomas More
13 days •
ⓘ 1516 • Journey through an island community where vice and violence are absent, all religions are tolerated, there's full employment and goods are community-owned.
Anarchism and Other Essays
Emma Goldman
22 days •
ⓘ 1910 • Influential essays on feminism and sexuality, anarchism and political violence from Russian-American philosopher Emma Goldman.
The Age of Reason
Thomas Paine
23 days •
ⓘ 1794 • A fierce attack on organized religion and corruption in the Christian Church in favor of Deism. Paine's writings sparked fears of revolution and unrest among elites in Britain and the U.S.
Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases
Ida B. Wells
4 days •
ⓘ 1892 • The famous pamphlet from Ida B. Wells detailing her research on lynching in the United States.
First Lensman
Edward E. Smith
36 days •
ⓘ 1950 • Given the powerful Lens by the mysterious Arisian aliens, Virgil Samms sets up an order of galactic defenders in this iconic space opera adventure.
An Enemy of the People
Henrik Ibsen
13 days •
ⓘ 1883 • The story of a man who dares to tell an uncomfortable truth, with surprisingly modern applicability to whistleblowing, environmental damage, and corrupt politicians.
Noli Me Tángere
José Rizal
48 days •
ⓘ 1887 • English translation of Philippines hero José Rizal's novel spotlighting the inequality of the Spanish Catholic priests and the ruling government.
A Treatise of Human Nature
David Hume
72 days •
ⓘ 1738 • A foundational work in philosophy, Hume seeks to introduce a scientific mindset to the study of human psychology.
Nicomachean Ethics
Aristotle
29 days •
ⓘ 340 BC • Aristotle investigates how men should live and the nature of happiness, seeking for practical guidance rather than theoretical discussion.
Looking Backward
Edward Bellamy
26 days •
ⓘ 1888 • A utopian science fiction depicting a futuristic socialist Boston in the year 2000. A very popular book it sparked mass political movements after its release.
The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
14 days •
ⓘ 1762 • Rousseau explores the possibility that a "contract" between people be the source of sovereign power, not systems such as monarchies. His ideas would help inspire political revolt through Europe.
The Conquest of Bread
Peter Kropotkin
23 days •
ⓘ 1892 • A classic of political anarchist literature, outlining Kropotkin's perceived defects of capitalism.
My Disillusionment in Russia
Emma Goldman
26 days •
ⓘ 1923 • Originally titled "My Two Years in Russia," anarchist political activist Goldman describes the tumultuous time in Russia following the Revolution of 1917. This is a complete version containing both volumes.
Ten Days that Shook the World
John Reed
28 days •
ⓘ 1919 • A first-hand account of the 1917 October Revolution in Russia by American journalist and socialist John Reed.
On Liberty
John Stuart Mill
14 days •
ⓘ 1859 • Philosopher John Stuart Mill and his wife Harriet Taylor in this essay apply the Utilitarian ethical theory to government, exploring individuality, authority, and freedom of speech.
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