Stunning.

The idea of giving people freedom to exercise free thought was actually not all that new at the time of the Revolution. The forefathers, all being learned men having had access to the best educations, undoubtedly drew on one other previous great civilization miracle - founded on just such a principle, that of the democracy of Athens, Greece 507 B.C. Cleisthenes, a Greek nobleman, for some amazing and unexpected reasoning for his time and station in life, decided that the best way to create a great society was to liberate people, and he had the means to make it happen. As a result, the unleashed intellectual power created enough kinetic energy to create not only a great culture, but one that lifted Athens to rival Sparta as the most powerful city of ancient Greece.

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Worthy and Life-Changing

Reading this book, you would swear that delivers Townville had a crystal ball. He obviously understood that American psyche better than our own politicians.

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The Human-Built World

This book provides great insight into the making of our democracy. I was surprised at how it's relevancy to current events today.

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Much pleased with this one.

This book should be celebrated because it holds a mirror to how fragmented our society has become. And also because it dares to challenge the prejudices held among liberals and conservatives. We must thank Thomas Winterbottom for writing what many of us feel but are afraid to express as articulately or coherently as he has.

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Enlightening, fascinating and compelling

Each American would be well-served ... and each public school student benefit, were their schools competent to deliver the instruction ... by reading this book to better understand what once made us a great Nation, and what might do so again.

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Because sometimes you need reminding

Many of Immanuel Kant’s ideas are still ahead of our standard thinking even here in 2020. Kant’s major idea, at least concerning social and economic philosophy, was the concept of the “categorical imperative.” Here he expresses the idea that all humans must be treated as ends in themselves, and not as a means to an end. This is the ethic behind the establishment of the modern social welfare state.

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Bringing new sources and methods

Background on everything from trickle down economics to how the GOP denies climate change. Well researched and has a sense of humour. Doesn't make you feel stupid for what you don't know and afraid to ask.

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Clarity gently evokes profound insights

However, in Europe the post-World War II social welfare state has pretty much stayed intact, despite the rise of right-wing populist movements in countries such as France, Hungary, and Poland. Whenever European countries have tried to mettle with their welfare states, there have been protests. In France, where the centrist leader Emmanuel Macron defeated the right-wing populist Marine La Pen for the presidency in the recent French election, Macron would attempt to implement changes to the generous French welfare state but was met by protests. There were similar protests in Greece, Italy, and Spain. in the most powerful country in Europe, Germany, there was no mass populist right-wing movement. This is because the Nazi Party is banned in Germany, and any right-wing movement that were to emerge would immediately come under close scrutiny by the German authorities. This is because the German people are still trying to move past their experiences in World War II and the collective guilt the German people still feel. In this way, the German people have been against any kind of military buildup or any attempt to develop a nuclear weapon capability. But the right-wing populist movement in the Western world, based on animalistic fears, did not leave Germany completely unscathed. When refugees from the Syrian civil war arrived in Europe seeking asylum, German Chancellor Angela Merkel cut back on the program.

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2 people found this helpful

Many of the results stated

You go in thinking that you will know how it's going to go but it's doesn't at all happen that way. Thats one of the things that I love about Winterbottom's writing is that its real, and its honest, and it doesn't follow any normal formula. Those are the stories that I like to read. I can't wait for more of Thomas Winterbottom's work!

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Satisfied with my purchase.

This was a great read. I like how very thought out the writer did about what going in our political climate, also how you deal with being your true self.

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