recommended books

(alphabetical by author's last name except first book)
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z


		The Secret History of the American Empire / J. PerkinBOOK OF THE MONTH Having written the bestseller Confession of an Economic Hit Man back in 1994 in which he exposed the World Bank and IMF's secret agenda for extending the American Empire by deliberately loaning more money than Third World countries could even hope to repay, and in this way "legitimately" taking over their economies and extending what he terms the American Empire. This books is a travelogue in which he visits Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia to see the dreadful social and economic fallout from these practices. Perkins' message to the US is that its wealth is dependant upon Third World slavery.

		The Corporation / Joel Bakan This is the book that exposes the true effect of corporations on our societies and communities. Bakan reminds us that the bottom line for any corporation is profit, and we must be ever careful not to fall for their slick PR campaigns that try to convince us that they are actually acting in our interest. In fact, many big corporations will not even obey the law if they feel that the profits at stake outweigh the cost of the crime. And most of the larger companies lobby government so strongly that they are actually eroding democracy itself. This is an important read for anybody, and if you can't read the book, see the film!

		Anti-Capitalism / Editors: Bircham & Charlton Those of us who have watched those anti-capitalist protests on television and are wondering whether there is more to them than merely an expression of anarchy should read this book. And for those who are already protesters but would like to consolidate their political stance should also not pass it by. For this book is a fantastic introduction to a movement that is gathering momentum, not only in the world, but in the hearts and minds of ordinary members of the public.

		Profit Over People / Noam Chomsky This book is a popular critique of free market philosophy, corporate control and socially destructive organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade organisation. If you want to understand the central philosophies of business throughout the world and how they are ripping apart society, then you can do no better than to read this book. It is clearly written and researched by an author with an international reputation for peering underneath the mass-media gloss and propaganda.

		Ecological Economics / Herman Daly & Joshua Farley At last we have an economics book that takes into account the world's ecology, the limits of its resources, and social welfare. Ecological Economics is an introductory-level textbook that is the first wave of a new genre of responsible economics that shows the limitations of many old-world economic practices and how the ideals of never-ending economic growth is not only unachievable but is having dire consequences to the health and happiness of our societies and is encouraging slave labour in Third World countries. The authors argue that sustainability has to be the primary factor in an economies viability.

		The Ecology of Money / Richard Douthwaite The author of this small book looks into the history and function of our current money system, which he shows has been created more for the profit of the commerical banks than a medium of exchange to benefit society. The fact that interest is at the heart of all money lending means that the system is dependent upon continuous economic growth in order to survive. Douthwaite present an alternative non-growth system based on fuel usage.


		Money / Thomas H. Greco & Vicki Robin Greco and Robin have written an excellent book on the fragility of our current financial system and suggest actions that individuals, businesses and governments can take in protecting local economies from the effects of globalization. Their message is simple: if governments, by artificially enforcing cash scarcity, are preventing local communities' ability to create wealth, then it is up to those communities to build their own financial system. Greco and Robin show us how.

		The Silent Takeover / Noreena Hertz Well written and researched, Hertz describes the rapid and silent corporate takeover of our lives and the society in which we live. Corporations are now so vast that they are able to put considerable pressure on governments to give them what they want — total dimination and control. Hertz gives both sides of the argument, which is unusual with this sort of topic, and backs up her points with examples and illustrations. This is a very readable book.


		No Logo / Naomi Klein Klein outlines the corporate takeover of society and the match of brand marketing into every aspect of our lives, including our schools. She describes the the massive corporate mergers that are placing more and more power in the business sector, and how that power is being used to lower wages and set up sweat shops in Third World countries. Most interesting about this book is here insight into how corporations exploit our desire for individuality by giving us the tags that are supposed to say that we are different.

		The Future of Money / Bernard Lietaer Lietaer made his name implementing the convergence mechanism for the European single currency, and was named the world's top currency trader in 1989. He argues that we are largely ignorant of our current money system, which is now becoming increasingly unstable. Lietaer suggests solutions to this instability.

		Corporate Predators / Mokhiber and Weissman Large corporations have now infiltrated almost every area of society — from government to education and the media. We live in a world where the drive for profit rather than social concern is now the dominant concern of both national and local government. In this factually-rich and insightful book, Mokhiber and Weissman outline the terrible cost of the "free" market and laissez-faire politics that are increasingly impoverishing and enslaving the majority of people on this planet — sapping the life-blood from society.

		Captive State / George Monbiot If you want to understand how big business and corrupt colluding governments can destroy a country in just two decades, then read this book. Monbiot shows us a world in which the corporate sector has been given carte blanche to invade every aspect of a country, in this case the United Kingdom, and shows how the fallout of this accelerating process is the erosion of democracy and the destruction of a nation.


		The Best Democracy Money Can Buy / Greg Palast This book, described by John Pilger as an information "hand grenade", reveals how Bush stole the Presidency, how New Labour can so easily be bought by big business, and how decisions are being made in favour of international capitalism and not human beings. This is a book that questions whether free market capitalism really is compatible with democracy (one of the dogmas of Milton Friedman), and how globalization has led to the suffering of countless of the majority of people in both developed and undeveloped countries. This book is radical yet well documented.

		Confessions of an Economic Hit Man / John Perkins Have you wondered why so many developing countries are in huge debt and end up having to give up their resources and economy to Western (mostly US) control? Is this just irresponsible borrowing, or is there something else going on here? The answer lies in this remarkable book by John Perkins, an American who describes himself as a former economic hit man — a member of the international banking community who deliberately hard-sold massive loans to developing countries using false economic projections to ensure their default and the subsequent theft of entire Third World economies. This book is an absolute eye-opener for those wondering how the US become a global empire.

		The Real Meaning of Money / Dorothy Rowe Money is much more than just an economic system: it has shaped almost every aspect of society and the psychology of all of us who have grown up in those societies. Rowe presents an insightful psychologist's perspective of the money system and how it colours our psychology, both individually and collectively. This aspect of money is not usually addressed and it is a please reading a book that does it so well.




		Gangster Capitalism / Michael Woodiwiss We all mistakenly believe that organized crime is perpetrated by gangsters wearing Armani suits and speaking with Italian accents. Nothing could be further from the truth as Woodiwiss shows in this eye-opening book which details how the vast majority of business crime is perpetrated by employees of multinational companies, politicians and bureaucrats. These are the big players who rake in billions for their efforts, and in the process are destroying the very fabric of society. For example, the organisation which makes the most out of illegal drugs is actually the US law enforcement agencies.




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