10 books about socialism

From one of the most prominent voices on the American Left, a galvanizing argument for why we need socialism in the United States today In The Socialist Manifesto, Bhaskar Sunkara explores socialism's history since the mid-1800s and presents a realistic vision for its future. With the stunning popularity of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Americans are embracing the class politics of socialism. But what, exactly, is socialism? And what would a socialist system in America look like? The editor of Jacobin magazine, Sunkara shows that socialism, though often seen primarily as an economic system, in fact offers the means to fight all forms of oppression, including racism and sexism. The ultimate goal is not Soviet-style planning, but to win rights to healthcare, education, and housing, and to create new democratic institutions in workplaces and communities. A primer on socialism for the 21st century, this is a book for anyone seeking an end to the vast inequities of our age.

Socialism is back, with a vengeance. Dinesh D'Souza refutes its pernicious promises with his trademark mix of intellectual heft and scathing wit. After the fall of the USSR in 1989, the world thought that the flawed ideology of socialism was defeated forever. And for a while, it seemed to be true. But socialism survived in the rarified sector of the academy and it has now been injected once again into mainstream Democratic politics by a coalition of the old and new generations of the left, personified by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign was surprisingly popular with American youth and recent polls show that more than half of millennials have a favorable view of socialism. The Green New Deal and other revolutionary policies of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the face of the millennial left, have received support from nearly every Democratic presidential candidate. Who can take on these ambitious politicians and expose their empty promises? Scheduled to be published at the peak of campaign season in spring 2020, The United States of Socialism will thoroughly examine and decisively refute the utopian claims of socialism that have wormed their way back into American politics. Only Dinesh D'Souza is equipped with the intellectual heft, the polemical flair, and the keen eye of a documentary filmmaker that are necessary to fight back the socialist tide before it crashes on American shores.

Rand Paul, U.S. senator for Kentucky and America’s most prominent libertarian, makes a case against socialist ideology, showing the impact of its deadly legacy and the threat of its new rise in America. Reintroduced by leaders such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, socialism was once grounds for blacklisting during the McCarthy era. Yet now it is being embraced on American college campuses and among many leftists. In The Case Against Socialism, Rand Paul outlines the dangers of the twentieth-century’s deadliest ideology, from Stalin’s gulags to the Cuban Revolution to the current famine in Venezuela. He tackles common misconceptions about the “utopia” of socialist Europe and the false claim that there’s never been “true” socialism. He also shows how college professors, leftist politicians, and the coastal elite media have played a role in covering up socialism’s haunting legacy. Rand reveals the devastating truth: for every college student sporting a Che Guevara T-shirt, there’s a Venezuelan child dying of starvation. Desperate people flee communist Cuba to escape death squads, oppressive censorship, and squalid hospitals, not “free” healthcare. Socialist dictatorships like the People’s Republic of China crush freedom of speech and run massive death camps while masquerading as enlightened modern nations. Far from providing economic freedom, socialist governments enslave their citizens. They offer illusory promises of safety and prosperity while restricting personal liberty, tightening state power, sapping human enterprise and making citizens dependent on the dole. If socialism takes hold in America, it will imperil the fate of the world’s freest nation, unleashing a plague of oppressive government control. The Case Against Socialism is a timely response to that threat and a call to action against the forces menacing American liberty.

Argues that a progressive war is being waged against America's Christian principles, contending that secular agendas for issues ranging from school prayer to globalism are linked to communist origins.

The Democratic Party has changed beyond recognition. Once the party of anti-communism and tax-cutting under President Kennedy, it is now dominated by a surging socialist movement and led by a presidential candidate who vows to "transform" America. On a near-daily basis, the Democrats are issuing radical proposals to socialize medicine, industry, and higher education. So how can the Democrats win elections when their agenda is so far to the left of the American people? That's easy--it's because the means of public debate are being manipulated. In Countdown to Socialism, Congressman Devin Nunes exposes the nexus between the Democratic Party, the mainstream media, and the social media corporations. These three entities cooperate to blast out the Democrats' message and downplay their extremism while suppressing and censoring conservative points of view. Tens of millions of Americans are only seeing one side of the debate. The information they get from newspapers and social media is not "news"--it's carefully manipulated content designed to help one political party and punish its opponents. In the run-up to the most consequential election of our lifetime, read this book to learn how your information is being skewed and regulated to force America onto the path to socialism.

A chilling account of an evil ideology and the man whose nefarious thoughts made it possible.

Socialism 101 is a comprehensive and accessible guide to the historical and modern applications of socialism. In today’s political climate, more and more presidential candidates are espousing socialist—or democratic socialist—policies. Once associated with oppression, socialism is now a current topic of conversation with everyday Americans, including policies like taxing the rich and healthcare for all. But what exactly is socialism and why does it spark such an intense debate? Socialism 101 provides an easy-to-understand, unbiased overview to the nearly 300-year-old origins of this mode of government, its complex history, basic constructs, modern-day interpretations, key figures in its development, and up-to-date concepts and policies in today’s world. As capitalism has become less appealing and socialism experiences a surge in popularity, the need for clarification of what it means has never been more necessary than now.

Examines the assumptions of Christianity and atheism, and argues, among other issues, that Christianity explains what modern science tells us about the universe and our origins better than atheism.

Do We Have to Say It Again? Socialism Sucks! Apparently we do. Because today millions of Americans—young and old—are flocking to the socialist banner and chanting, “What do we want? Socialism—the economic system that has impoverished people everywhere and resulted in the deaths of tens of millions! And when do we want it? Now!” Really? Most people seem somehow to have missed Economics 101 and don’t understand that socialism isn’t nice, cuddly government that takes care of everything for you so that you can remain an adolescent forever. No, we’ve seen it tried over and over again with catastrophic consequences. Luckily, two semi-sober economists have toured the socialist world so you don’t have to. And they’ve come back with this stunning report: Socialism Sucks! Along the way, you’ll learn: • Why the so-called Swedish model might be attractive, but sure isn’t socialism (Sweden is capitalism with a big welfare state) • How socialist Venezuela went from being the toast of liberals everywhere—Viva Venezuela!—to being just toast • Why you never see new cars in Cuba • Why no one forgets to turn out the lights in North Korea (hint: there aren’t any) • Why American socialists have no idea what socialism really is How hard it is to find good beer—or sometimes any beer at all—in socialist countries Irreverent but honest economists Robert Lawson and Benjamin Powell have all the data—and even more important, the firsthand global experience—to affirm that socialism fails to deliver on any of the utopian promises it makes and instead is very bad for your economic (and other) health. This is a book that every American who values freedom and sound economics (and good beer) needs to read.