PROVOCATIVE BOOKS ON 21ST CENTURY GLOBALISM & CULTURE
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GLOBALISM & CAPITALISM
The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else,by Hernando de Soto. The definitive analysis of why private property rights and deeds are the key to successful capitalism and the only solution to economic under-development.
Turbo-Capitalism, by Edward Luttwak. Scholarly, but relevant and readable, analysis of the economic and social damage wrought by neo-capitalism (profit-maximizing, single stake-holder corporations) taken to its extremes since the 1980s.
The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century,by George Friedman. Non-conventional, stimulating forecasts about imminent and long-run geopolitical changes in the 21st century world. Provides a scholarly, but highly practical, past/present/future analysis of how geography drives foreign policy and nationalism.
Flat, Hot, and Crowded, by Thomas Friedman. Easy-to-understand analysis of how the convergence of global warming, over-population, and middle class consumers in the developing world call for a global “green” revolution.
The Post-American World,by FareedZakaria. Models the likely “third shift” of Western history: the post-American world—the “rise of the rest.” “The real challenges for the 21st century world comes from who the new winners will be.”
What Do We Know About Globalization? by Guillermo de la Dehesa. A timely statistical and conceptual assessment of global economics, including poverty, income inequality, income distribution, foreign investment, migration, and corporate power.
In Defense of Globalization, by JagdishBhagwati. How global business is delivering a higher standard of living around the world
In Search of the Good Life: The Ethics of Globalization, by Rebecca Todd Peters. An analysis of the economics and politics of global business and economics from the standpoint of Christian ethics
20:21 Vision: Twentieth Century Lessons for the Twenty-First Century, by Bill Emmott. What the world can take from the 20th century to bolster the 21st century
The Economistmagazine( The world’s best source of weekly news about business and political current events
GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS
The WTO: Whose Trade Organization? by Lori Wallach and Patrick Woodall.How the World Trade Organization is dominated and exploited by the industrialized West to the detriment of the rest of the world
Globalization and its Discontents, by Joseph Stiglitz. A prominent American economist criticizes the World Bank and its negative impacts on the developing world
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins. The controversial memoirs of a former “hit man” for a Washington consulting firm that provides global government organizations with the technical loan analysis for developing nations desinged to put them under Western control.
The World Trade Organization: A Citizen’s Guide, by Steven Shrybman. An analysis of the WTO’sneo-liberal ideology & alleged domination by Western governments.
NAFTA Revisited, by Gary Hufbauer & Jeffrey Schott. A comprehensive & technical guide on the achievements & challenges of NAFTA through 2005.
UNITED STATES
The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case AgainstLBJ, Roger Stone & Mike Colapietro. The best investigative reporting available concerning the heinous politics of the United States during the 1960s. Monumental. Don’t read this book if you don’t want your perception of reality permanently altered.
Winner Take All Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer and Turned Its Back on the Middle Class, Paul Pierson and Jacob Hacker. A history of what has grown wrong economically and socially in America since the 1980s. The title is explained via sound statistics and analysis.
How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly--and the Stark Choices Ahead, by DambisaMoyo. Excellent overview of the cause and effects of the serious 21st century economic problems of the United States and Western Europe.
All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of Financial Crisis, by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera. A sound and thorough analysis of the institutional, political, and capitalistic making of America’s 21st investment banking meltdown.
The Rise of the Rogue Executive: How Good Companies Go Bad and How to Stop the Destruction, by Leonard Sayles and Cynthia J. Smith. Shows how “agency”-driven” (self-serving) executives have taken fullest advantage of the lower ethical accountability enabled by industry deregulation and the decline of professional standards in America.
Hegemony of Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance, by Noam Chomsky. A highly insightful and objective overview of America’s imperialist foreign policy since 1950, and particularly in the 21st century. This book is “for anyone wanting to find out more about the world we live in.”
The Limits of Power: The End Of American Exceptionalism, by Andrew Bacevich. Probably the most insightful and accurate analysis of America’s ebbing global power from the post-Vietnam era through the George W. Bush administration. Traces the historical and contemporary antecedents of America’s 21st “century triangle of national crisis”: cultural profligacy, paralyzed politics, and dysfunctional military strategy.
The Big Con: The True Story of How Washington Got Hoodwinked and Highjacked by Crackpot Economists, by Jonathan Chait. How Reaganomics, supply side economics, and budget deficits have crippled the U.S.
The American Empire and the Commonwealth of God, by David Ray. Addresses the ideological and practical evidence and consequences of what the authors see as an often disguised imperial agenda inherent in the founding and development of the United States. The authors’ share the conviction that the United States "is seeking to become the world's first borderless empire" whose imperialist policies constitute "the primary threat to the survival of the human species.”
American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money, by Kevin Phillips. A bold historical analysis of the 3 main causes of declining American power in the 21st century.
Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism, by Kevin Phillips. A detailed statistical analysis of the financial and political crisis wrought by the 2008 investment banking collapse.
God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It, by Jim Wallis. Bestselling breakthrough book on how misguided American politicians are using bad Christian theology in the quest for votes and power.
The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations, by Dan Kimball. The definitive analysis of the fast-growing “post-modern” non-institutional church and its break from 20th century organized religion
Rogue State, 3rd edition: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower, by William Blum. An investigative reporter’s chilling summary of American imperialism in the post-War World II era.
There Are No Children There, by Alex Kotlowitz. The best book ever written on American poverty & racial discrimination.
The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien. What war is really like.
The free Weekly Spin email letter from the Center for Media and Democracy keeps tabs on media abuse by politicians and corporations:
The Audacity of Greed: Free Markets, Corporate Thieves, and the Looting of America, by Jonathan Tasini. “Examines the reasons and exposes the people responsible for the looting of America—from Wall Street executives who funded their lavish lifestyles at the public's expense to the politicians who let it happen.”
Corporate Scandals: The Many Faces of Greed, by Gray, Frieder, Clark. The “encyclopedia of corporate scandals” over the past 20 years.
EUROPE
Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction, by John McCormick. An easy-to-follow intro to the EU, its history, structure, & politics. This is the best introductory book available.
The European Dream: How Europe’s Vision of the Future is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, by Jeremy Rifkin. How the EU’s progress is raising their standard of living above America’s
The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of AmericanSupremacy, by T.R. Reid. How EU progress is challenging America’s political dominance in the world
The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent, by William Hitchcock. An excellent historical overview of European nations from 1945-2000
The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God, by George Weigel. Looks at the economic, intellectual, and motivational impacts of contemporary Europe’s on-going religious decline and spiritual malaise.
JAPAN
The Japanese Have a Word for It: The Complete Guide to Japanese Thought and Culture, by Boye Lafayette De Mente.Provides rich, colorful insight into Japanese culture through analysis of idiomatic Japanese phrases and sayings
Shutting Out the Sun, by Michael Zielenziger. A look at “a society on the verge of a nervous breakdown,” caused by contemporary Japan’s dysfunctional families, young male workforce hermits, & changing expectations of women. The book analyzes the dilemma face by Japanese culture that is “suspended between two worlds”: communalism & individualism.
Japan Unbound: A Volatile Nation’s quest for Pride and Purpose, by John Nathan. Contemporary Japan’s struggle for identity and cultural change
CHINA
The New Chinese Economy: Dynamic Transitions into the Future, by Elias C. Grivoyannis. An overview of “what is presently going on in the Chinese economy and the type of economy from which China is transitioning.”
The Chinese Century, by OdedShenkar. The meteoric economic rise of capitalist China and its implications for world economics and politics over the next generation
Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China, by Rachel DeWoskin. A young American woman describes her experiences living in contemporary capitalist China and working as the lead character in the pioneering Chinese soap opera, “Foreign Babes in China.” Provides subtle insights on mutating Chinese culture and how Americans are perceived by the Chinese.
Dragon Rising: An Inside Look at China Today, by Jasper Becker. A veteran journalist in Asia portrays the revolutionary change currently sweeping through China all the way down to the grass roots level.
THE MIDDLE EAST
Islam vs. Islamism, by Peter Demant.Explains the contemporary tensions within the Islamic world from an historical & cultural perspective. Tremendous insight & clarity.
Understanding Islam: An Introduction, by C.T.R. Hewer. A new, comprehensive, easy-to-understand overview of Islam. An outstanding introduction to the topic.
Why They Don’t Hate Us: Lifting the Veil on the Axis of Evil, by Mark LeVine.Focuses on how contemporary Middle Eastern cultures have much in common with the West and that the “clash of civilizations” mentality isn’t really valid or accurate.
America and Political Islam: Clash of Cultures or Clash of Interests?byFawazGerges. An analysis of political vs. cultural differences between the Middle East and the West.
Islam for the Western Mind, by Richard Henry. A good up-to-date and easy-to-understand introduction to Islam, the Koran, and Middle Eatern culture.
The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity, by SeyyedHossein Nasr. A respected Arab-American scholar puts the beliefs and culture of Islam in a positive light.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY
The Winners and Losers in Global Competition: Why Eco-Efficiency Reinforces Competitiveness: A Study of 44 Nations, by Andreas Sturm, Mathis Wackernagel, and Kaspar Muller. A path breaking study of how the ecological performance of nations helps or hurts their economic competitiveness in the world
Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, by Lester B. Brown. Discusses what’s wrong with our way of sustaining global economic growth (“Plan A”) and presents an alternative “Plan B” for reversing environmental decline. Provides crystal clear insights into global ecological problems and realistic solutions.
Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment, by James Gustave Speth. The best available overview of global ecological problems
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond. A fascinating history of the ecological collapse of major civilizations
WorldWatchmagazine( objective quarterly magazine about global ecological problems and realities. Its annual Vital Signs publication is the best available source of relevant, up-to-date ecological statistics.
AdBusters magazine( extremely hard-hitting, counter-cultureanti-consumerismquarterly magazine
MISCELLANEOUS CULTURES
Dictionary of Mexican Cultural Code Words, by Boye Lafayette De Mente.Provides rich, colorful insight into Mexican culture through analysis of idiomatic Spanish phrases and sayings
Dictionary of Korea’s Business and Cultural Code Words, by Boye Lafayette De Mente.Provides rich, colorful insight into Korean culture through analysis of idiomatic Korean phrases and sayings
The Central Liberal Truth, by Lawrence Harrison. How positive political leadership can have a positive impact on cultures.
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