Listmania!
The Basics to understanding Politics and Government
By an Amazon.com customer
The Prince (Bantam Classics)The Prince (Bantam Classics) by Niccolo Machiavelli
Buy new: $4.50 / Used from: $0.01
Written as a letter to a prince on how to successfully rule a nation. Fascinating portrayl of how a prince is to control the population, defend the state against intruders, and all the while accumulate more and more power for himself.
Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning TolerationTwo Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke
Buy new: $15.39 / Used from: $1.05
If Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence were a college term paper, he would be expelled from school for plaigarizing Locke's arguments made in this piece. Huge influence on American interpretations of democratic governance and the role of property in governmental power.
Leviathan (Penguin Classics)Leviathan (Penguin Classics) by Thomas Hobbes
Buy new: $7.92 / Used from: $2.00
The oft quoted work of political philosophy that explores the nature of man without society and government, and what is required of government to protect man from himself. "Life is short, nasty, and brutish" among the famous quotes.
The Social Contract (Penguin Classics)The Social Contract (Penguin Classics) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Buy new: $9.00 / Used from: $2.35
Basic tenent of the proper role of government of the people-that is, government that is consented to by the citizenry.
On LibertyOn Liberty by John Stuart Mill
Buy used from: $0.01
Influential political philosopher argues for importance of civil liberites.
The Communist Manifesto (Signet Classics)The Communist Manifesto (Signet Classics) by Karl Marx
Buy new: $5.95 / Used from: $1.53
The book that changed the world in many respects. Theory of communism that has been wrongly interpreted and applied so many times, most people don't know what actual communism entails.
The Wealth of Nations (Bantam Classics)The Wealth of Nations (Bantam Classics) by Adam Smith
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $5.04
Lays out basic theory that undergirds modern liberal economics. Cannot understand capitalism and its basic foundations without this book.
The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions)The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions) by Plato
Buy new: $3.00 / Used from: $0.01
Must read for those looking for early arguments concerning government.
The Politics (Penguin Classics)The Politics (Penguin Classics) by Aristotle
Buy new: $9.89 / Used from: $0.23
Another must read for those looking for early arguments concerning government.
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Routledge Classics)The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Routledge Classics) by Max Weber
Buy new: $15.61 / Used from: $8.68
Classic argument that the protestant work ethic and emphasis on thriftyness is intrinsically linked to the spread of capitalism in the west.
The Division of Labor in SocietyThe Division of Labor in Society by Emile Durkheim
Buy new: $15.92 / Used from: $9.00
Lays out many sociological theories necessary to understand the role of government in society.
Theory of International PoliticsTheory of International Politics by Kenneth Waltz
Buy used from: $52.99
Must read for those wishing to understand the arguments made on motivations for state behavior, the "billiard-ball" model, and other classics in international relations.
Man, the State, and WarMan, the State, and War by Kenneth N. Waltz
Buy new: $19.62 / Used from: $14.60
Classic on political philosophy and the causes of war.
A Theory of JusticeA Theory of Justice by John Rawls
Buy new: $21.24 / Used from: $8.88
Most influential American philosopher of 20th century makes his classic argument concerning justice and theories of liberal democracy.
Political LiberalismPolitical Liberalism by John Rawls
Buy used from: $2.40
This book is Rawls' answer to the critics of his Theory of Justice in which he defends and expands upon his ideas concerning the formation and application of liberal government. Rawls lays out how it is possible to establish liberal democracy which all citizens can agree upon regardless of station in society, religion, income, political persuasion, etc.
Democracy in America (Signet Classics)Democracy in America (Signet Classics) by Alexis de Tocqueville
Buy new: $7.95 / Used from: $0.99
Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville visits the U.S. in the late 18th century and makes several analyses of American society and government that have striking contemporary implications.
The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics) by Alexander Hamilton
Buy new: $7.95 / Used from: $4.25
Three founding fathers classicaly defend their ideas that eventually shaped the most successfull democracy the world has ever seen.
Common Sense (Dover Thrift Editions)Common Sense (Dover Thrift Editions) by Thomas Paine
Buy used from: $0.12
Pre-revolution propaganda that serves as a classic in understanding early American political thought and the revolutionary spirit.
The LawThe Law by Frederic Bastiat
Buy new: $9.99 / Used from: $5.28
Written in 19th century France, makes the argument for libertarian economic policies. Essential read for contemporary voters and my fellow libertarians.
The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics) by Ralph Ketcham
Buy new: $7.95 / Used from: $4.37
Lays out the contemporaneous arguments made for and against the adoption of the U.S. constitution, and the necessary compromises that were made.
Against Leviathan: Government Power and a Free SocietyAgainst Leviathan: Government Power and a Free Society by Robert Higgs
Buy new: $16.20 / Used from: $7.61
Higgs analyzes the paper foundations of our government, and how its real-world applications have changed throughout the years.
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to VietnamDereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam by H. R. Mcmaster
Buy new: $11.52 / Used from: $4.19
Great book that explores the relationship between military leaders and their civilian bosses- a necessary component for a both democratic and militarily strong state.
The Best and the BrightestThe Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam
Buy new: $12.24 / Used from: $6.00
Fascinating and informative portrayl of how military and governmental strategy is composed in the American context.
Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human RightsUnequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights by Thom Hartmann
Buy used from: $6.68
Scary but necessary look at the hegemonic power of corporate will in American government and society.
The Lobbyists: How Influence Peddlers Work Their Way in WashingtonThe Lobbyists: How Influence Peddlers Work Their Way in Washington by Jeffrey Birnbaum
Buy used from: $0.01
Essential read to understand how lobbyists affect the daily conduct of government business in America.
The Power Game: How Washington WorksThe Power Game: How Washington Works by Hedrick Smith
Buy new: $12.21 / Used from: $0.61
If you want to know how the American congress works, read this book.