Politics may not always be an easy topic, with all the factors at play, and all the different opinions bombarding us from everywhere. That’s why it’s important to take some time to dive deep into the different issues, and what better way to do that than through well-researched, excellently-written books!
Admittedly, many books on politics are not easily accessible for the average layman. We hope that this list we’ve compiled for you can serve as a basic course, so to speak, so that you can relate with and grapple with the difficult topics as you go along.
12 Best Books to Help You Understand Politics
Here are some of our best recommendations of politics-themed books to get you started:
1. The Republic by Plato
This Socratic dialogue on the theories of governance and democracy was authored by the Greek philosopher Plato way back around 375 BC. In this classic work, he presents his belief that knowledge and expertise are the most important determinants about who should rule over other people, because they tend to be the most efficient and fair.
2. The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The French philospher Jean-Jacques Rosseau authored this essay on the social contract between the people and the government, which he believes remains binding as long as the will of the people supports it. This was considered a revolutionary work, especially during the time when the French royalty was thought to be divinely bestowed with authority.
3. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Don’t be fooled by this novel nor by its children’s fable-like theme. It’s actually an allegory in novella form, featuring farm animals who rise up against their human owner in their desire to create a free—and ultimately utopian—state. But their dreams are dashed when, in the absence of a supreme rule, a pig rises to power and ends up more tyrannical than their previous master.
4. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels
In 1848, the Communist League commissioned this work by the German philosophers Frederick Engels and Karl Marx. The work looks at the challenges of a society run on capitalism and the focus on production. It believes that eventually, the forces of socialism will overthrow any society that revolves around capitalism.
At the time of its publication, the book was considered obscure, but in later years, social democrat parties that rose throughout Europe turned to this as their foundational doctrine.
5. 1984 by George Orwell
Who would’ve thought that this dystopian novel published back in 1949 could have chilling resemblance to some totalitarian societies in the present time? The story portrays a tyrannical rule with surveillance, propaganda, lies, and a cult-like supreme leader. Admittedly, this fictional world was inspired by the Soviet Union’s Stalin, but it just might have lessons for us today.
6. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave by Frederick Douglass
This autobiographical account follows the author’s own enslavement in Maryland up until the time he was in early twenties. When he managed to escape in 1838, he rose to power in the abolitionist movement, well-known for his speeches and written works, both of which have been formative not just in abolition but also in the women’s rights movement.
7. Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
This collection of essays, published in 1955 and containing Baldwin’s thoughts throughout the 1940s and 1950s when he was in his twenties, are considered foundational for the Civil Rights Movement. Because Baldwin was a crucial figure in the Civil Rights movement, this will help you understand the Jim Crow time period and how the said movement began.
8. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Mandela is a prime figure when it comes to revolutionaries. Read through this autobiographical account which he wrote in 1994, published right at the start of his becoming President of South Africa. Here you can take a closer look at his anti-aparthaid activism, which led to his close to three decades of imprisonment.
Although the book is a kind of memoir, it’s essential reading if you want to learn about government oppression, and how Mandela influenced South Africa into a more democratic system.
9. Friendly Politics by Glen Smith
This modern day book on politics can serve as your basic handbook, to get you started n the realm of power and governance even when you’re not too familiar with them. Adopt the practical life lessons so you can be less anxious about the current political climate. Plus, you get to improve your relationships too by getting involved in productive conversations.
10. We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates is a journalist who wrote this collection of essays. Although the essays deal with modern-day political issues, the author chose this title in reference to the eight years that the Black Reconstruction-period politicians sat in power, before Jim Crow laws inched their way back along with white supremacy. It also has the double meaning of referencing President Barack Obama’s eight years in power before racism made its way back at the 2016 elections.
11. Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein
Published in the beginning of 2020, this book explores the problem of extreme political polarization in the United States. He believes that the feedback loops between institutions and the people, as well as the power of polarization in media, have contributed to the extreme differences in identity politics.
12. Politics is For Power by Eitan Hersh
Yes, it can be interesting to read up on books about politics, but how about one that actually stirs you up into action? This book wll do just that, showing you different ways how you can make the change you want to see in your world, with practical teachings on how to lobby, on advocacy, and even how to mobilize communities for the causes that are important to you.
Reading Politics Books
It’s important to be well-read in political issues so that we can form well-informed opinions and make intellectual decisions. We hope this list whets your appetite to be more educated in the area of politics.
On the other hand, we also hope that this booklist can help inspire passionate individuals to take decisive action for positive change.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
