The Field Guide to Political Thought and Debates in the United States
Published by Self-published · Economics & Philosophy
Maps the terrain of American political thought (conservative, progressive, and libertarian) so you can understand why people across the table believe what they believe and how to talk about it.
Who this book is for
Anyone who wants to understand why a family member, coworker, or neighbor who votes differently reasons the way they do, whatever their own leaning: left, right, libertarian, or unlabeled.
Table of contents
- The Founding Arguments
- The Evolution of Conservative Thought in America
- The Evolution of Progressive and Liberal Thought
- The Libertarian Tradition and the Limits of the Left-Right Spectrum
- Healthcare
- Gun Policy
- Immigration
- Abortion and Reproductive Rights
- Economics and the Role of Government
- Climate, Energy, and the Environment
- Why the Left-Right Spectrum Fails
- The Stories We Tell (and the Ones We Don't Hear)
- How to Have the Conversation
- Finding Common Ground (Without Pretending We Agree)
Excerpt
This book will not tell you what to think. If you are looking for confirmation that your political views are correct and the other side is wrong, this is not the book for you. There are thousands of those books. They sell well. They change very few minds. This book does something harder. It maps the terrain. It traces the intellectual roots of conservatism, progressivism, and libertarianism in the United States. It examines the flashpoint issues that dominate our politics. And it presents every major argument in its strongest, most honest form, including the ones you disagree with.
