About this product: The extensively revised new edition of this bestselling text continues to provide an accessible overview of the major political ideologies, their origins, and their development. In addition to examining the major "isms" -- liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and fascism -- the book offers readers the history, structure, supporting arguments, and internal complexities of these and recently emerging ideologies. The text utilizes a fourfold framework -- a definition of "ideology" in terms of the four functions ideologies perform -- within which to compare, contrast, and analyze the various ideologies. In addition, the book also shows how each ideology interprets "democracy" (which the authors characterize as an ideal rather than an ideology) and "freedom." In examining the latter notion, the authors analyze each ideology's view of freedom in terms of agent, obstacle, and goal.
About this product: -X, Ball, Terrence and Dagger, Richard, Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, Fourth Edition*\ This highly acclaimed collection of original sources put readers directly in touch with the political thinkers and the ideas that have shaped our world. Present readers with key selections from a wide array of original sources, from classic standards to newly emerging ideologies. A logical organization, introductions to each selection, and new explanatory notes make this book accessible and engaging. For those interested in political science and ideologies.
About this product: This book contains an excellent collection of essays on the political branch of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and is appropriate for anyone seeking to obtain a deeper understanding of her political philosophy beyond reading her novels. A few of my favorite essays contained within include:
* What is Capitalism? -- Ayn Rand's delineation of Capitalism as a political system where individuals live according to the Trader Principle and have a minimal, but central government to prevent the initiation of physical force and fraud.
* Antitrust -- Alan Greenspan's excellent essay that attacks Antitrust legislation as subjective, harmful and immoral.
* Gold and Economic Freedom -- Alan Greenspan's essay on the need for objective currency. In particular, he suggests a return to a 100% gold standard.
* Patents and Copyrights -- Ayn Rand's views on the necessity and morality of intellectual property rights.
* Theory and Practice -- Ayn Rand's views on the invalidity of the "Mind-Body Dichotomy", which is also known as the "Theory-Practice Dichotomy" or the "Thought-Action Dichotomy".
* The Wreckage of the Consensus -- Ayn Rand's views on the debacle that was the war in Vietnam. In my opinion, reading this essay really suggests how she would view the current war in Iraq.
* Man's Rights -- in this essay, Ayn Rand discusses what individual rights are and where they come from. Specifically, she argues that rights come from the nature of man (not from divine origin, society or law) and what they mean in practice.
* The Nature of Government -- this essay contains Ayn Rand's view on government's as an agency of force, how the only proper purpose for a government is to safeguard the rights of men, how the only legitimate functions of government are those necessary to preserve individual rights (i.e., police force, army and a court system) and the necessity for a strong, central government to serve as a final arbiter on the use of retaliatory force. This last point is in stark contrast to various anarcho-capitalists such as David Friedman and Murray Rothbard.
About this product: For more than sixty years Ideals has celebrated the holidays with beautiful images and stirring words. Ideals Christmas presents traditional images of Christmas, the Biblical story, devotions for the season and stories and poem of joy and giving accompanied by beautiful artwork and photography. Ideals Christmas will appeal to all who wish to embrace the joy of the season and experience the wonder, peace and love Christmas brings.
About this product: A practice-building guide for therapists and healing professionals. Therapist and business coach Lynn Grodzki shows readers how to build an ideal practice--one custom designed to be both highly profitable and personally satisfying. Here they will find information, coaching, and support to help them make more money in private practice, be more confident as business owners, generate a steady flow of referrals, set good practice policies, and stay profitable. Best of all, the inspiring, practical tone of the book will reduce the fear and anxiety that affect so many professionals in private practice. AUTHORBIO: Lynn Grodzki lives in Silver Springs, Maryland.
About this product: Wilde’s scintillating drawing-room comedy revolves around a blackmail scheme that forces a married couple to reexamine their moral standards. A supporting cast of young lovers, society matrons, and a formidable femme fatale exchange sparkling repartee, keeping the action of the play at a lively pace.
New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens has created some of romance's most unforgettable novels. Now she has created her most provocative love story—and amazing hero—to date. This is the book that dares to ask the question: Who is this man's ideal bride?
Michael Anstruther-Wetherby is a rising member of Parliament—a man destined for power. Aristocratic, elegant, and effortlessly charming, he is just arrogant enough to capture the interest of the ladies of the ton. And with his connections to the wealthy and influential Cynster family—his sister is married to Devil Cynster, the Duke of St. Ives—his future appears assured.
Except that Michael lacks the single most important element of success: a wife.
Political pressure sends him searching for his ideal bride, a gently bred, malleable young lady, preferably one with a political background. Michael discovers such a paragon but finds a formidable obstacle in his path—the young lady's beautiful, strong-minded aunt—Caroline Sutcliffe.
One of London's foremost diplomatic hostesses, Caro has style and status but, having lived through an unhappy political marriage, wants nothing of the sort for her niece, who has already lost her heart to another.
So Caro and the younger woman hatch a plot—Caro will demonstrate why an inexperienced young lady is not the bride for Michael. She succeeds in convincing him that what he really needs is a lady of experience by his side.
And the perfect candidate is right under his nose—Caro herself. Then it is Michael's turn to be persuasive, a task that requires every ounce of his seductive charm as he tempts and tantalizes Caro, seeking to convince her that becoming his bride will bring her all her heart desires . . . and more.
But then a series of mysterious, and dangerous, accidents befall Caro—an assailant has stepped in with their own idea for Caro's future—one that could involve murder. Before Caro can become Michael's ideal bride, they must race to uncover the unknown's identity before all hope of what they long for, and wish for, is destroyed.
About this product: In this classic tale, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces a hero like no other: Miles Ripley, London’s most irresistible bachelor, who’s about to lose his heart to the last person he ever expected to love—his wife.
When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she’d come to this charismatic stranger’s home to plead for her future. Instead she shocks them both by saying yes. Her impulsive decision will have consequences neither she nor her new husband can foresee. For Miles has his own reasons for marrying her. And Abigail is harboring a secret of her own. As distrust gives way to desire . . . as, together, they give in to the pleasures of the marriage bed, a devastating scandal threatens their future. Now these two wary hearts will risk ruin and disgrace for a love that has changed them both forever—the kind all seek, but few ever find.
About this product: For more than sixty years Ideals has celebrated the holidays with beautiful images and stirring words. Ideals Thanksgiving evokes memories of family dinners, special Thanksgiving traditions and the autumn season through stories, poetry, photographs and artwork reflecting celebrations from times past and present day. Ideals Thanksgiving will appeal to all who wish to embrace the coming of autumn and experience the traditions, beauty and joy of this holiday.
About this product: In the days immediately following September 11th, the most powerful people in the United States were panic-stricken. The radical decisions about how to combat terrorists and strengthen national security were made in a state of utter chaos and fear; but the key players, Vice President Dick Cheney and his powerful, secretive adviser David Addington, used the crisis to further a long-held agenda to enhance presidential powers to a degree never known in US history, and obliterate Constitutional protections that define the very essence of the American experiment. The Dark Side is a dramatic, riveting, and definitive narrative account of how the United States made terrible decisions in the pursuit of terrorists around the world - decisions that not only violated the Constitution to which White House officials took an oath to uphold, but also hampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In gripping detail, acclaimed New Yorker writer and bestselling author Jane Mayer relates the impact of these decisions: US-held prisoners, many of them completely innocent, were subjected to treatment more reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition than the twenty-first century. In all cases, whatever the short-term gains, there were incalculable losses in terms of moral standing, the US's place in the world, and its sense of itself.
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