The World's Best Book Summaries
Who was Confederate Robert E. Lee? What role did he play in the American Civil War? What was he fighting for? Confederate Robert E. Lee was an American general who served as the commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He is best known for leading the charge against America to secure the domination of the white race and subjugation of the black race. Read more about Confederate Robert E. Lee.
What is a Southern identity? Why is the American south so deeply entrenched in conservative ideology? Much of the current conservative identity comes from traditional Southern identity. While it doesn’t cover all elements of Southern identity, southerners resent that aspects of life like family, church, and jobs requiring physical labor are cast as backward and ignorant. Read more about Southern identity and its relationship to conservatism.
What is a caste system? What are some real-world caste system examples? Caste is a man-made social order developed to rank the value of certain groups of people. Some of the most pronounced caste system examples are India, Nazi Germany, and the United States of America. Keep reading for real-world caste system examples and how they compare to each other.
What is the Holocene extinction? When did it start and what is the main driving force behind species disappearance during the Holocene epoch? The Holocene extinction, also known as the Anthropocene extinction, is the ongoing mass species extinction event that started at the end of the ice age. It is attributed to climate change and human activity (e.g. habitat destruction and species dispersal). Keep reading to learn about Holocene extinction.
What are the differences between the caste system in India vs America? How can we make sense of this juxtaposition? Most people are unlikely to see the overlap between the caste system in India vs America. But similarities exist between the two societies, in that both are government-sanctioned caste systems. Read about the overlap between caste system in India vs America.
What is Keynesian economic theory? What are the ideas associated with this theory, and do they work? Keynesian economic theory promotes aggressive federal spending. The theory posits that in times of depression or recession, the government can keep things stable by infusing cash into the economy. Read more about Keynesian economic theory below.
What is endogamous marriage? What role does endogamy play in preserving the social structure in a caste society? Endogamous marriage is the practice of marrying within one’s own group or social unit. In the context of racial casteism, endogamous marriage is one of the means of protecting the dominant caste’s bloodline and maintaining the caste structure. Read about the practice of endogamous marriage, its history, and the lasting effects of endogamy laws.
What is the welfare state? Why do conservatives distrust and dislike the welfare state? The “welfare” state refers to government social systems like disability, unemployment, and more. The welfare state also includes public services like the Post Office and infrastructure. Conservatives believe that others, like glamorous “welfare queens” take advantage of government hand-outs while they struggle and work hard for their money. Read more about the conservative views on the welfare state below.
What is the history of the Confederate statues in America? Why did some people resist the removal of these statues? What do they celebrate? Confederate statues in America are monuments and memorials that have been erected to celebrate the leaders of the American Confederacy. The Confederacy was a faction formed by anti-democracy, pro-slavery group of states that seceded from the US after the election of Abraham Lincoln. Read about the history of the Confederate statues in America, what they represent, and why their removal sparked such a heated debate in the American society.
What caused the End Ordovician extinction? When did it start and which animals were affected? The End Ordovician extinction was the first of the Big Five mass extinction events in the history of the Earth. The term actually refers to two extinction periods, which together wiped out 86% of the marine species. Scientists attribute it to a sudden cooling of the climate that began around 444 million years ago. Read about the causes and effects of the End Ordovician extinction.