I’m starting a master’s in political economy in september, and I’m looking for book recs! I’m currently reading Capital Volume 1 and want to know what I should read next. I want to go in with a solid foundation so open to any suggestions. For context I did my bachelor’s in economics and have previously read some books on colonialism and inequality. Thanks!
by Odd_Mix_8106
6 Comments
samir amin, immanuel wallerstein, arturo escobar, gustavo esteva, isabella bakker, meg luxton, cindi katz, tithi bhattacharya, ricarda hammer should be useful places to start for marxist approaches to politcal economy from anti-colonial and feminist frames!!
Progress and Poverty by Henry George
It has largely been forgotten in the public conscience but it was hugely influential and is still very relevant. It inspired multiple world leaders including Churchill, FDR, Sun Yat Sen, Lee Kwan Yew (indirectly, via the Fabians), David Lloyd George and many others. It also was considered foundational by many economists across the entire political spectrum including Hayek, Stiglitz, Vickery, Solow and more. It’s influence to fame ratio is absurd
Coding Democracy: How Hackers Are Disrupting Power, Surveillance, and Authoritarianism, by Maureen Webb
The Color of Law, Richard Rothstein
Evicted, Matthew Desmond
Capitalizing on Crisis, Greta Krippner
If when you say “Capital Volume 1” you’re talking about Marx’s book, forget that. Read Capital in the 21st Century, by Thomas Piketty. He had access to WAY more data than Marx did and his data is better too. Plus he’s a very thoughtful guy.
Also I would recommend Debt: The First 5000 Years, by David Graeber.
Now, I’m not saying those guys were right about everything. They weren’t. But everything they had to say is worth thinking about.
*The capital order* by Clara Mattei