100 Best Political Books

This is one of the 748 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.

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  • Adults in the Room by Yanis Varoufakis

    My Battle with Europe's Deep Establishment

    This book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the European financial crisis from the perspective of a former Greek finance minister. It offers an insider's view of the negotiations and power plays that took place between Greece and its international creditors during the country's economic crisis. The book reveals the author's struggles against the austerity measures imposed by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, and his eventual resignation when he realized the futility of his efforts. It is a critique of the European Union's economic policies and a plea for more democracy in global finance.

    The 14901st Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org or Amazon
  • Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty

    The Dynamics of Inequality

    This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of capital accumulation and distribution over the last few centuries. The author argues that the rate of capital return in developed countries is persistently greater than the rate of economic growth, leading to high levels of wealth inequality. The book further suggests that the level of income inequality is not primarily a result of differences in individual labor income but rather the result of differences in capital ownership and the income derived from it. The author proposes a global tax on wealth to prevent soaring inequality.

    The 2624th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org or Amazon
  • How Will Capitalism End? by Wolfgang Streeck

    Essays on a Failing System

    The book explores the inherent contradictions and systemic issues within capitalism, arguing that these flaws could lead to its eventual demise. It examines how economic stagnation, rising inequality, and political instability are symptoms of deeper structural problems that capitalism cannot resolve. The author suggests that the relentless pursuit of profit and growth is unsustainable, leading to social and economic crises. Through a critical analysis of contemporary economic and political trends, the book questions the viability of capitalism's future and considers the potential for alternative systems.

    The 17010th Greatest Book of All Time
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About this list

Guardian, 103 Books

"We thought now was an excellent moment to publish a supplement which highlights outstanding books that have shaped political thought, deepened our understanding of how politics ticks and offered signposts to future directions for our world. It felt timely because this era is characterised by exceptional flux. Today’s orthodoxy can turn into tomorrow’s redundancy and today’s unthinkable can become tomorrow’s inevitable".

The selectors consisted of authors, historians, political commentators and the Guardian staff.

This list was originally published in 2017 and was added to this site over 1 year ago.

How Good is this List?

This list has a weight of 1%. To learn more about what this means please visit the Rankings page.

Here is a list of what is decreasing the importance of this list:

  • Voters: unknown count
  • List: only covers 1 specific genre
  • List: only covers mostly "Western Canon" books
  • Voters: are mostly from a single country/location
  • Voters: Unknown Names

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List Information

Voter Count Unknown:
Yes
Voter Names Unknown:
Yes
High Quality Source:
No
Location Specific:
No
Category Specific:
Yes