Social Democracy

Hong Kong was an experiment in governance. Handed back to China in 1997 after 156 years of British rule, it was meant to be a carve-out between hostile systems: a bridge between communism and capitalism, authoritarianism and liberal democracy. “One country, two systems” kept its media free, its courts independent and its protests boisterous, designed also to convince Taiwan of a peaceful solution to Beijing’s desire for reunification. In Among the Braves, Shibani Mahtani and Timothy McLaughlin tell the story of Hong Kong’s past.

Ordinary people often don’t recognize themselves in the stories liberal politicians tell about them, while the authoritarians speak a language of dominance and national greatness that connects. The Democrats need a new approach to messaging. Comeback spells it out—and provides a roadmap for trouncing Trumpism.

¿Qué podemos aprender de la democracia griega? Esa fue la cuestión crucial que se hicieron lectores radicales como Foucault, Castoriadis o Rancière en la década de los años setenta. En un contexto de crisis, la vieja democracia ateniense se ofrecía como un marco privilegiado para pensar las posibilidades de la democracia, precisamente allí donde nació nuestra experiencia de la misma.

The Carter presidency was on life support. The Democrats, desperate to keep power and yearning to resurrect former glory, turned to Ted Kennedy. Camelot's End details the incredible drama of Kennedy's challenge - what led to it, how it unfolded, and its lasting effects - with cinematic sweep. It is a story about what happened to the Democratic Party when the country's long string of successes, luck, and global dominance following World War II ran its course, and how, on a quest to recapture the magic of JFK, Democrats plunged themselves into an intra-party civil war.

In this short and necessary volume, Dirty Rubles author Greg Olear presents the facts about FPOTUS: who he is, what he plans to do, and why the country cannot survive a second Trump term. Donald Trump is a Rough Beast. America is slouching towards dictatorship.

Authenticity. Vulnerability. Humility. Transparency. These are some of the 21st-century virtues proselytized by mindset gurus, paraded (if not practiced) by big corporations, and lauded by professionals on LinkedIn. The quest for authenticity, for example, is central to progressive campaigns for greater diversity and inclusion, while our political and business leaders are highest praised if they appear to be humble. But are Australia’s newest virtues fit for purpose? In this provocative book, Lucinda Holdforth questions the new orthodoxy.

The United States of America has been the most powerful country in the world for more than 70 years, but recently the US National Security Strategy declared that the return of great power competition with Russia and China is the greatest threat to US national security. Further, many analysts predict that America's autocratic rivals will have at least some success in disrupting - and, in the longer term, possibly even displacing - US global leadership. Brilliant and engagingly written, The Return of Great Power Rivalry argues that this conventional wisdom is wrong.

In this explosive memoir, a political consultant and technology whistleblower reveals the disturbing truth about the multi-billion-dollar data industry, revealing to the public how companies are getting richer using our personal information and exposing how Cambridge Analytica exploited weaknesses in privacy laws to help elect Donald Trump - and how this could easily happen again in the 2020 presidential election.

Like so many of us, McKibben grew up believing—knowing—that the United States was the greatest country on earth. As a teenager, he cheerfully led American Revolution tours in Lexington, Massachusetts. He sang “Kumbaya” at church. And with the remarkable rise of suburbia, he assumed that all Americans would share in the wealth. But fifty years later, he finds himself in an increasingly doubtful nation strained by bleak racial and economic inequality, on a planet whose future is in peril. And he is curious: What the hell happened?

In Dissent, award-winning investigative journalist Jackie Calmes brings listeners closer to the truth of who Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is, where he came from, and how he and the Republican party at large managed to secure one of the highest seats of power in the land.

Famed journalist, satirist, and cultural critic Henry Louis (H. L.) Mencken is known as the chief heretic of the American civic religion for a reason. From the corruption of politicians to the dangers of mob rule, Mencken explores the pitfalls of democracy with his trademark irreverence and insight. In our age of demagogues, Notes on Democracy is as relevant today as it was nearly a century ago.

In this magisterial work, Sean Wilentz traces a historical arc from the earliest days of the republic to the opening shots of the Civil War. One of our finest writers of history, Wilentz brings to life the era after the American Revolution, when the idea of democracy remained contentious, and Jeffersonians and Federalists clashed over the role of ordinary citizens in government of, by, and for the people. The triumph of Andrew Jackson soon defined this role on the national level, while city democrats, Anti-Masons, fugitive slaves, and a host of others hewed their own local definitions.

In this witty and mischievous book, philosopher Peter Cave dissects the most controversial disputes today and uses philosophical argument to reveal that many issues are less straightforward than we'd like to believe. Leaving no sacred cow standing, Cave uses ingenious stories and examples to challenge our most strongly held assumptions. Is democracy inherently a good thing? What is the basis of so-called human rights? Is discrimination always bad? Are we morally obliged to accept refugees?

A Editora Contracorrente tem a satisfação de oferecer ao público brasileiro a tradução de Aporofobia, a aversão ao pobre: um desafio para a democracia, de autoria de Adela Cortina, uma das mais destacadas filósofas da atualidade. “Aporofobia”, o neologismo que dá nome ao medo, rejeição ou aversão aos pobres, foi escolhido como a palavra do ano 2017 pela Fundación del Español Urgente (Fundéu) e incorporado ao Diccionario de la lengua española no mesmo ano.

تعد الحضارة الهندية من أقدم الحضارات الأصيلة الحية في آسيا والتي أثبتت قدرة فائقة على الاستمرار وتجديد نفسها في مواجهة التحديات. وللحضارة الهندية سمة مميزة شأنها شأن جميع الحضارات القديمة، وهي قدرتها على الاستمرار بالتقاليد، وفي الوقت نفسه استيعاب العوامل الخارجية وخلق معادلة جديدة. ولذلك، تبدو منطقة جنوب آسيا كيانًا حضاريًا فريدًا يتضمن تعددًا في اللغات والديانات والأعراف والثقافات، لكنها لم تشهد أبدًا وحدة سياسية من النوع الذي نراه في الدول القومية بأوروبا.

At a time when many democracies are under strain around the world, Until We Have Won Our Liberty shines new light on the signal achievements of one of the contemporary era's most closely watched transitions away from minority rule. South Africa's democratic development has been messy, fiercely contested, and sometimes violent. But as Evan Lieberman argues, it has also offered a voice to the voiceless, unprecedented levels of government accountability, and tangible improvements in quality of life.

This book is an essential work for those seeking to understand the significant growth of populism around the world and its profound implications for liberal democracies. Exploring the historical roots, distinctive characteristics, and contemporary dynamics of populism, both right-wing and left-wing, the book offers a detailed analysis of the impacts of this phenomenon on democratic institutions, the Rule of Law, and social cohesion.

Discussing everything from the meaning of the Second Amendment to the stated rules around Supreme Court nominations, Sheehan walks us through the entire Constitution, from its preamble to its final amendment. He also offers a bonus section on the Declaration of Independence. Extra-credit information throughout on things like amendments that were never passed and what powers elected officials actually have, gives listeners all the information they need to be informed and effective voters and citizens.

Since they were born, Generation Z (also known as "zoomers")—those born from the late 1990s to early 2000s—have been faced with an onslaught of turmoil, destruction, and instability unprecedented in modern history. But Gen Z has not buckled under this tremendous weight. In Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Passion and Fear to Save America, Della Volpe draws on his vast experience to show the largest forces shaping zoomers' lives, the issues they care most about, and how they are rising to the unprecedented challenges of their time to take control.

Thomas Paine was born in Great Britain; he came to America at the age of 37 for the first time. He is rightly considered to be the Anglo-American writer, philosopher, publicist, as well as "American godfather" for supporting separatist spirits and inspiring Americans to fight for their independence (at that very moment, the break between America and England was imminent). He described his thoughts in a wonderful tract Common Sense, that according to G. Washington, revolutionized the minds. Later, Thomas Paine's arguments were reflected in The Independence Declaration, written by Jefferson.