Subject
State, The Books
Best books
Friedrich Engels
The origin of the family, private property, and the state
"The origin of the family, private property, and the state" by Friedrich Engels is an anthropological treatise published in 1884. Drawing on Karl Marx's notes and Lewis H. Morgan's research on ancient societies, Engels examines how human social organization evolved through distinct historical stages. The work explores the transition from matrilineal clans and primitive communism to patriarchal structures, arguing that the rise of private property fundamentally altered family dynamics and gender relations. Engels presents this shift as a pivotal transformation in human history, connecting economic developments with changes in power and social structure.
Charles de Secondat Montesquieu
Esprit des lois livres I à V, précédés d'une introduction de l'éditeur
"Esprit des lois" by baron de Charles de Secondat Montesquieu is a treatise on political theory published in 1748. This pioneering work in comparative law argues that political institutions must reflect a community's social and geographical realities. Montesquieu advocates for constitutional government with separation of powers and civil liberties. His classification of political systems—republican, monarchical, and despotic—profoundly influenced thinkers including America's Founding Fathers and Alexis de Tocqueville, shaping modern constitutional thought.
John Dewey
The public and its problems
"The Public and Its Problems" by John Dewey is a work of political philosophy published in 1927. Responding to critics who dismissed democracy as unworkable in an increasingly complex modern world, Dewey defends democratic governance while acknowledging its flaws. He rejects rule by technocratic elites, arguing instead that democracy requires constant public engagement and vigilance to succeed. The book redefines what constitutes "the public" and "the state," exploring how genuine democracy can survive amid twentieth-century technological and social transformations.
Mary Parker Follett
The new state : $b Group organization the solution of popular government
"The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government" by M. P. Follett is a political treatise written in the early 20th century. The work addresses the pressing political dilemmas of its time, emphasizing the inadequacies of representative democracy and advocating for a new method of governance through group organization. The book explores the dynamics of collective human relationships and how they can foster true individual expression and democratic governance. At the start of the book, Follett outlines a vision for a reformed political system, arguing that traditional democracy has failed to live up to its potential due to its reliance on mechanical forms of organization, such as party systems and majority rule, which overlook the complexity of human relationships. He contends that genuine democracy must be rooted in the "group process," where individuals come together, influenced by one another’s ideas and experiences, to create a collective will. Through this opening section, Follett sets the stage for a more integrated and participatory approach to governance, asserting that the future of democracy depends on recognizing the interconnected nature of individuals within society.
Bertrand Russell
Why Men Fight: A method of abolishing the international duel
"Why Men Fight: A Method of Abolishing the International Duel" by Bertrand Russell is a philosophical treatise written in the early 20th century. The work explores the underlying motivations for human conflict and proposes ideas for political reconstruction aimed at promoting peace. Russell delves into the psychological and social sources of war, framing his arguments around the need for a shift in human impulses and desires. The opening of the book presents a reflection on the transformative impact of war on beliefs and political philosophies. Bertrand Russell discusses how the war has altered perceptions of human nature and action, emphasizing the tension between instinctive impulses and rational thought. He critiques common justifications for war, arguing that war arises from deep-rooted human impulses rather than purely nationalistic or governmental ambitions. By understanding these impulses, Russell suggests that political institutions can evolve to create a society less inclined toward conflict and better equipped to cultivate a culture of peace.
Franz Oppenheimer
The State: Its History and Development Viewed Sociologically
"The State: Its History and Development Viewed Sociologically" by Franz Oppenheimer is a sociological work published in 1907. Oppenheimer challenges the conventional view of the state as a social contract, instead arguing it emerged through conquest and exploitation. He distinguishes between "economic means"—honest labor—and "political means"—forcible appropriation of others' labor. The state, he contends, is fundamentally an organization of political means, designed to perpetuate the dominance of conquerors over the conquered through systematic economic exploitation.
Herbert Spencer
The Right to Ignore the State
"The Right to Ignore the State" by Herbert Spencer is a philosophical treatise stemming from his larger work "Social Statics" and was written in the mid-19th century, specifically in the context of the Victorian era. This publication explores themes of individual freedom and critiques the concept of state authority over the individual. The book argues for the right of citizens to abandon or ignore the state, positing that coercion by the government is inherently immoral, and that true freedom entails individuals being able to dissociate from state control without infringing upon the rights of others. In "The Right to Ignore the State," Spencer articulates his ideas through a series of arguments emphasizing the moral implications of government and the rights of individuals. He asserts that citizens possess the innate right to reject government authority and the obligation of taxation that comes with it, equating such obligations to violations of individual freedom. Through examples and logical reasoning, he challenges the legitimacy of majority rule and emphasizes the importance of equal freedom, arguing that any form of coercion contradicts ethical principles. Ultimately, the text serves as a foundational piece advocating for individual liberty and a questioning of the moral authority of the state.
Friedrich Engels
L'origine della Famiglia della Proprietà privata e dello Stato in relazione alle ricerche di L. H. Morgan
"L'origine della Famiglia della Proprietà privata e dello Stato" by Friedrich Engels is an anthropological treatise published in 1884. Based on Karl Marx's notes and Lewis H. Morgan's research, it examines how human societies evolved from matrilineal clans to patriarchal structures. Engels argues that the rise of private property fundamentally transformed family organization and women's social power, calling this shift "the world-historic defeat of the female sex." The work traces humanity's progression through stages of social development and remains influential in discussions of family economics and historical materialism.
Randolph Silliman Bourne
Untimely papers
"Untimely Papers" by Randolph Silliman Bourne is a collection of essays written in the early 20th century, reflecting on the societal and psychological implications of war and culture during World War I. The work predominantly critiques the intellectual class's support for the war and delves into the burdens of conformity placed upon individuals by societal expectations. The primary focus revolves around the impact of war on personal identity, freedom, and the annulling of ideals. At the start of "Untimely Papers," the editor's foreword introduces the significance of Bourne's perspective as a leading voice among the intellectuals of his time, emphasizing his disillusionment with mainstream attitudes toward the war. Bourne portrays the harrowing challenge faced by individuals, exemplified by a young friend who grapples with forced conscription amid a prevailing sense of apathy and resentment. This friend, more a product of societal norms than a free agent, embodies the struggle to reconcile personal aspirations with external pressures, highlighting Bourne's profound exploration of individuality in the face of a wider collective mentality influenced by war and societal expectations.
Aline Lion
The pedigree of fascism : $b A popular essay on the Western philosophy of politics
The pedigree of fascism : A popular essay on the Western philosophy of… by Aline Lion is a political-philosophical essay written in the early 20th century. It examines Italian Fascism as both a national outgrowth and a universal doctrine, setting it against the political history of post-unification Italy and the broader currents of European thought. The work aims to clarify for general readers what Fascism claims to be, how it arose, and why its philosophy should not simply be exported, while situating its roots from the Risorgimento and World War I to an intellectual lineage running from the Renaissance to Croce and Gentile. The opening of the book asks whether Fascism is a revolution and answers by defining it as a new, immanent relation between State and citizen that rejects “natural rights,” binds rights to duties, and treats citizenship as a moral-spiritual practice. It contrasts universal ideas with their local, historical “form,” likens this to the French Revolution, and then surveys Italy’s political path: an elite-led Risorgimento that unified the state but ignored social and economic realities; a Liberalism that imported foreign models, mishandled Church-state tensions, and lacked party discipline; Socialism that awakened workers yet tilted toward materialist aims and coercive tactics; and Nationalism that was lofty but too external and statist. The narrative moves through Italy’s hesitant neutrality and irredentist push into World War I, arguing that the war (especially after Caporetto) forged a genuine national conscience, turning subjects into citizens—the true culmination of the Risorgimento—only for postwar disillusion, factory seizures, and Fiume to expose a hollow state. It concludes this opening movement by presenting Fascism as a practical, anti-ideological method that synthesizes class interests through duty-bound citizenship and order, then pivots to its philosophical pedigree, introducing Fascism’s aim-centered method, Gentile’s idea of liberty as the identification of wills (illustrated by a team captain), and the early modern roots of competing “realities” (Bruno’s historical, Bacon’s empirical, Descartes’ rational).
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