Thomas Piketty is Professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) and the Paris School of Economics and Codirector of the World Inequality Lab. He is also the author of A Brief History of Equality. Become a Patron! Pure economic factors or technological factors or the level of economic development or... Continue Reading →
The 1619 Project and other Democracy Books this Week
Introduction The 1619 Project highlights the list of democracy books this week. It focuses on topics of inclusion essesntial for a democratic society. The Afro-Indigenous History of the United States also explores some of the same themes of inclusion through an examination of marginalized groups. Other books include topics such as dictators and populism. I have... Continue Reading →
Party Systems in 50 Different Democracies
Thomas Piketty is best known for the publication of Capital in the Twenty-First Century. It changed how the intellectual community thought about the problem of inequality. Despite the fact it may not have changed many opinions, it is one of the most influential books on economics in the past quarter century. It provided a language... Continue Reading →
5 New Books on Democracy this Week
Introduction Every week new books on democracy get published. Some literally change how scholars think about democracy, while others rehash ongoing debates. A few books do not discuss democracy, but have relevance for anybody seriously looking to understand democracy. This list covers 5 new books on democracy. I've only read one so far. In other... Continue Reading →
Does Inequality Hinder Economic Growth?
Thomas Piketty argues economic inequality is an obstacle for economic growth in his latest book Capital and Ideology. Justin Kempf reflects on the implications of this idea as he works to develop his own ideas of economics compatible with a political theory of democracy. An Institutional Theory of Economics It has never been clear for me... Continue Reading →
Thomas Piketty – Capital in the Twenty-First Century
Few books have captured the imagination of the intelligentsia like Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century. The book has reshaped how people think about inequality. It is not necessary to agree with his basic thesis. This is one of those books anyone who is well-versed in political theory must understand to converse on complex... Continue Reading →