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December 25, 2025
I think this would make a great introductory book, particularly for those with an interest in 20th century political thought, as it balances a satisfactory depth in a wide variety of topics from British conservatism, the structure of religion in society, to Chinese socialism in the 1900s.
Before giving an overview of significant political movements and parties in Britain, China, and Russia, Harris introduces his thoughts on ideology and the media apparatus, including the use of vocabulary that we instinctively associate with negative connotations when discussing politics. Not anything groundbreaking here, particularly if you have read anything by Chomsky regarding manufacturing consent, but an important start to set the tone of the book and well situated in a book that covers so many beliefs in society. We are then given a good overview of religion for ordinary people, the shifting entry requirements for the Catholic church in order to preserve a global order, and the metaphysical demands of people that tend to arise during economic difficulties. I think he gives a fair assessment of the pragmatism of Lenin and soviet Russia, and gives a good critique of the analysis of Lenin, highlighting the insincerity of criticism grounded in pamphlets created when he was initially organising. I think that this is a problem that we still have, and is even worse with the presence of digital receipts for everything that pressurises people to remain within their silos. I am not very certain about the overview he presents when describing Mao's China- I think there is a lot of fixation on economic growth, which I presume can't be helped as Harris is an economist, with not enough emphasis on the huge change in the living conditions of those in poverty. Ultimately I don't know enough about Mao to give an assessment on his presentation in this book, but I enjoyed reading about the purpose of Taoism and Confucian tranquility through class lines and networking purposes prior to Mao's rise to power.
If you're like me, you'll finish this book upset that many of the economic policies of the Conservatives pre Thatcherism and global neoliberalism, particularly when looking at tax rates proposed by both Labour and the Tories, were far more radical than the slop that is proposed for people in Britain now (Nigel Harris has an essay freely available on the topic that I think he wrote during his PhD thesis in the 60s- great read!). This prevails despite the reality, discussed in this book, that ultimately the Conservatives have never really been about conserving anything- rather it is a party focused on promoting the interests of the ruling class. Since Keir Starmer's expulsion of most of the Labour party's socialist or worker-sympathetic members, we effectively have a one party state that I am glad Keir Hardy is not forced to witness. Our ruling class interests have already caused significant social harm in the 70s, and as the nature of our ruling interests shifts to the protection of technology at the expense of people, I'm not at all surprised that the government has focused on old methods of balancing the budget rather than any finger waggling at our beloved technology "revolutionaries".
Great book, great read in the current depressing political context.
Before giving an overview of significant political movements and parties in Britain, China, and Russia, Harris introduces his thoughts on ideology and the media apparatus, including the use of vocabulary that we instinctively associate with negative connotations when discussing politics. Not anything groundbreaking here, particularly if you have read anything by Chomsky regarding manufacturing consent, but an important start to set the tone of the book and well situated in a book that covers so many beliefs in society. We are then given a good overview of religion for ordinary people, the shifting entry requirements for the Catholic church in order to preserve a global order, and the metaphysical demands of people that tend to arise during economic difficulties. I think he gives a fair assessment of the pragmatism of Lenin and soviet Russia, and gives a good critique of the analysis of Lenin, highlighting the insincerity of criticism grounded in pamphlets created when he was initially organising. I think that this is a problem that we still have, and is even worse with the presence of digital receipts for everything that pressurises people to remain within their silos. I am not very certain about the overview he presents when describing Mao's China- I think there is a lot of fixation on economic growth, which I presume can't be helped as Harris is an economist, with not enough emphasis on the huge change in the living conditions of those in poverty. Ultimately I don't know enough about Mao to give an assessment on his presentation in this book, but I enjoyed reading about the purpose of Taoism and Confucian tranquility through class lines and networking purposes prior to Mao's rise to power.
If you're like me, you'll finish this book upset that many of the economic policies of the Conservatives pre Thatcherism and global neoliberalism, particularly when looking at tax rates proposed by both Labour and the Tories, were far more radical than the slop that is proposed for people in Britain now (Nigel Harris has an essay freely available on the topic that I think he wrote during his PhD thesis in the 60s- great read!). This prevails despite the reality, discussed in this book, that ultimately the Conservatives have never really been about conserving anything- rather it is a party focused on promoting the interests of the ruling class. Since Keir Starmer's expulsion of most of the Labour party's socialist or worker-sympathetic members, we effectively have a one party state that I am glad Keir Hardy is not forced to witness. Our ruling class interests have already caused significant social harm in the 70s, and as the nature of our ruling interests shifts to the protection of technology at the expense of people, I'm not at all surprised that the government has focused on old methods of balancing the budget rather than any finger waggling at our beloved technology "revolutionaries".
Great book, great read in the current depressing political context.
Displaying 1 of 1 review