Readinglist 2025

The below list generated by DeepSeek is source of inspiration for possible reads. Some are already in my anti-library so easy to start with.

Here’s a curated reading list of foundational works by great thinkers spanning political philosophy, economics, and sociology. Each book offers unique insights into freedom, governance, human nature, and societal organization:

Core Thinkers Mentioned

1. Alexis de Tocqueville
   

• Democracy in America (1835/1840)
  

A profound analysis of democratic society, individualism, and the balance between equality and liberty.

1. Friedrich Hayek
   

• The Road to Serfdom (1944)
  

A critique of centralized planning and defense of classical liberalism.

1. Milton Friedman
   

• Capitalism and Freedom (1962)
  

Argues for free markets as a guarantor of political and social freedom.

Expanding the Canon

1. John Stuart Mill
   

• On Liberty (1859)
  

A cornerstone of liberal thought on individual autonomy and limits of state power.

1. Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
   

• The Communist Manifesto (1848)
  

The foundational text of socialist critique and class struggle.

1. Adam Smith
   

• The Wealth of Nations (1776)
  

Pioneering work on free markets, division of labor, and economic systems.

1. Hannah Arendt
   

• The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951)
  

Examines the roots of fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism.

1. John Maynard Keynes
   

• The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936)
  

Revolutionized macroeconomics with arguments for government intervention.

1. Max Weber
   

• The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905)
  

Links cultural values to the rise of modern capitalism.

1. Edmund Burke
   

- Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790)

A conservative critique of radical change and defense of tradition.

1. Noam Chomsky
   

- Manufacturing Consent (1988, with Edward S. Herman)

Analyzes media’s role in shaping public opinion to serve power structures.

1. Karl Popper
   

- The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945)

Defends pluralistic democracy against authoritarian ideologies.

Themes Covered

• Liberty vs. Authority: Tocqueville, Mill, Hayek, Friedman.

• Critiques of Power: Marx, Arendt, Chomsky.

• Economic Systems: Smith, Keynes, Hayek, Friedman.

• Cultural & Historical Analysis: Weber, Burke.

• Totalitarianism & Democracy: Popper, Arendt.

This list balances classical and modern perspectives, offering a dialectical journey through competing visions of society. Let me know if you’d like deeper dives into any specific work!