Influences, inspiration, and motivation for the book

Influences, inspiration, and motivation for the book

A list of excellent books on political economy and the source of much of the ideas found in Juggernaut. While it is certainly not comprehensive, it is a great foundation of the essentials needed for any general understanding of our politico-economic condition. They are listed in order of their subjects’ place in Juggernaut, and not necessarily their relevance or publication date. The list can also be found on Amazon.

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School of SalamancaSchool of Salamanca by Marjorie Grice-Hutchinson

The fount of modern economics can be found in the works of the Spanish Scholastics at the University of Salamanca.

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Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning TolerationTwo Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke

The foundation of personal liberty in the modern era.

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The Wealth of Nations The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

The quintessential work on specialism and the division of labor.

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The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, et al.

Awe-inspiring.

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Principles of Economics Principles of Economics by Carl Menger

The foundations of economics from a theory of goods to money.

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The Theory of Money and Credit The Theory of Money and Credit by Ludwig von Mises

Starting where Menger left off, Mises explains modern economics from money to credit and banking.

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The Crowd: A Study of the Popular MindThe Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind by Gustave Le Bon

Fundamental look into collective thinking.

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The Revolt of the Masses The Revolt of the Masses by Jose Ortega y Gasset

A philosophical look at the consequences of modern interdependency.

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The Frontier in American HistoryThe Frontier in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner

Mind-blowing in its starkness.

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Capital: A Critique of Political EconomyCapital: A Critique of Political Economy by Karl Marx

Essential to any understanding of socialist thinking.

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The General Theory of Employment, Interest and MoneyThe General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money by John Maynard Keynes

Powerful insight from the 20th century’s most influential economist.

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That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Not SeenThat Which Is Seen and That Which Is Not Seen: The Unintended Consequences of Government Spending by M. Frederic Bastiat

Seminal critique of government intervention.

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Theory of Games and Economic BehaviorTheory of Games and Economic Behavior by John VonNeuman

Highly mathematical, and yet crucial to understanding modern competition.

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The History of the Standard Oil CompanyThe History of the Standard Oil Company by Ida M. Tarbell

Muckraking at its most lucid and poignant.

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The Servile StateThe Servile State by Hilaire Belloc

Brilliant survey of the transition from feudal economics to Capitalism to the Welfare State.

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The Rise and Fall of Elites: An Application of Theoretical Sociology The Rise and Fall of Elites: An Application of Theoretical Sociology by Vilfredo Pareto

Penetrating insight from one of the most well-renowned thinkers of his day.

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Democracy in AmericaDemocracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville

Indispensable to any American library.

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The Republic Of PlatoThe Republic Of Plato by Plato

One of the great pillars of Western Civilization.

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Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics by Henry Hazlitt

A concise and still monumental case against the Welfare State.

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The Road to SerfdomThe Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

Striking survey of the natural inclination toward totalitarianism and a new form of serfdom.

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Free to Choose: A Personal Statement Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton and Rose Friedman

Magnificent survey of the value of economic and political freedom.

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Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy by Thomas Sowell

Full of powerful insight and backed with compelling empirical evidence for free markets.

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Government's End Government’s End by Jonathan Rauch

Phenomenal study into the perpetual nature of the Welfare State.

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How Markets Fail: The Logic of Economic Calamities How Markets Fail: The Logic of Economic Calamities by John Cassidy

Perhaps the best analysis of the 2008 crash with excellent information about the modern economy in general.

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Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government B… Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse by Thomas E. Woods

Common sensical and very entertaining.

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Too Big to Fail: The Hazards of Bank Bailouts Too Big to Fail: The Hazards of Bank Bailouts by Gary H. Stern

Far-seeing and yet widely overlooked.

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Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action (Political Economy of Ins… Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action by Elinor Ostrom

Powerful argument for a convincing solution.

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A Blueprint for Prosperity Market-based Alternatives to the Obama Blueprint for ChangeA Blueprint for Prosperity Market-based Alternatives to the Obama Blueprint for Change by Robert Donovan

Concise and level-headed approach to necessary reform.

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Money, Bank Credit, and Economic CyclesMoney, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles by Jesus Huerta de Soto

Comprehensive survey of the legality of fractional reserve banking.

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WaldenWalden by Henry David Thoreau

Individualism encapsulated in a brilliant, lyrical study.

3 thoughts on “Influences, inspiration, and motivation for the book

  1. Eric,
    I am about 2/3rds of the way through your book and I am hugely impressed. Excellent work, superb. I will be featuring it as a primary resource on workercapitalist.com which I will be launching as a separate website from tradecraftsolutions.com and the official website of the Worker-capitalist Society. As soon as I’m finished I’ll get a review on Amazon as well.

    Well done,

    Robert Donovan

    1. Robert,

      That’s great to hear. An endorsement coming from someone of your expertise is welcomed wholeheartedly. I’m excited about the launch of workercapitalist.com, as I’m sure many readers will be. Please keep us posted on its launch. Many thanks.

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