The World's Best Book Summaries
Might Cesare Borgia have conquered all of Italy? Where did he go wrong? During the Italian Renaissance, Cesare Borgia found huge success and was poised for more. But, it all came crashing down around him. According to Machiavelli, Borgia might have stayed in power if he had been more prepared for life’s inevitabilities. Keep reading to learn how fortuna can destroy a prince.
Why don’t rich people pay taxes? Is the American taxation regressive or progressive? In the U.S., most of the tax burden is borne by low- and middle-income earners. The reason for this is that American taxation is regressive, pulling the bulk of public funds from taxes that come from regular families while a large portion of American wealth remains in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. Here’s why the ultra-rich pay less in taxes.
How does the legacy of slavery still reverberate amongst Black Americans? Should the American government provide reparations to descendants of American slaves? Most of the injustices Black Americans face are either caused or perpetuated by economic inequality. To eliminate inequality and the injustices that follow, the government should provide Black Americans with financial aid and enhance funding for low-income and majority-Black communities, according to the author of The 1619 Project. In this article, we will discuss how the modern financial injustices Black Americans face are the result of slavery and Jim Crow, and what slavery reparations should entail.
What did Eurasia’s government system look like? What factors contributed to the structure of their government? Eurasia’s society developed faster than most at the time thanks to their understanding of food production and their population density. These factors, along with a few more, led Eurasia to create a centralized government. Here’s why Eurasia developed a centralized government and how it was advantageous.
Why is the Black poverty rate so high in America? Why is the racial wealth gap so hard to close? For the majority of Americans, wealth is something that’s accumulated across generations through inheritance. But Black Americans have historically been left with little to no inheritance, making it much harder for them to gain success and wealth compared to white Americans. Keep reading to learn about the causes of Black poverty in America.
Why is gender-disaggregated data important? How are women discriminated against at a government level? Gender-disaggregated data is simply data that is separated by gender, but it’s extremely important. If the government collects gender-specific data, we can improve women’s standing in society. Check out the importance of gender-disaggregated data below.
Do female refugees have gender-specific concerns? If so, why don’t they report them? Caroline Criado Perez, the author of Invisible Women, contends that sometimes female refugees suffer from sexual violence by male authority figures. It’s also not easy to support it because of certain taboos and a lack of support. Read below for gender-specific issues that female refugees could potentially face.
What is a progressive income tax? Why should the wealthy pay more taxes? In Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Piketty argues that since the 1980s, wealth inequality has made a troubling comeback that demands a response. His proposed solution is a progressive income tax. Read more about Piketty’s case for progressive taxation and why other economists think differently.
How can we get rid of stereotypes and racism? How can we give more political power back to the people? How can we use science to advance civilization? The more we apply scientific thinking and values to the world at large, the better the world will be. That’s the view of Carl Sagan. In The Demon-Haunted World, he argues that scientific understanding and principles can eliminate bigotry, fight tyranny, and bolster democracy. Keep reading to learn more about this important connection between science and society.
How is it possible that defenders are responsible for most wars? Why is it a logical contradiction for military concerns to influence political policy? And why shouldn’t soldiers sleep in tents? Carl von Clausewitz answers all these questions and more in his treatise On War. While it was originally published in 1832, Clausewitz’s philosophical underpinnings of war are arguably still relevant in the modern day. Below is a brief overview of the key themes and takeaways from On War by Carl von Clausewitz.