Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America

Absolutely brilliant book, particularly for those like me less familiar with US politics. I am a economist and much of the focus is on Nobel Laureate James Buchanan. However, the real story is the theoretical framework of the minimalist neoliberal state and the attempts to impose it on the American people. To the neoliberals in this book, the state should not be involved in redistribution and individuals should be responsible for their own education, health care and pensions (to name but a few). Over decades, from school vouchers, privatization of public utilities and ending of defined benefit pensions, these policies have been persistently pushed behind the scenes, with a great deal of success. To a foreigner like me, the fuss about Obama care is hard to understand., but now I see why. These neoliberals would prefer people having no healthcare rather than a state funded system. Just as they would prefer private schools to public. The economists James Buchanan played a role in all of this, in reaction to the civil rights movement's attempts to de-segregate schools in Virginia. The bit that is really interesting is the role of the Koch brothers in funding the neoliberal agenda over the decades through a variety of foundations and think tanks (Cato institute etc). As the title of the book indicates, the neoliberal project has found its policies unpopular and has found ways to get around democratic institutions.

I knew the fallacies and objectives of the Tory right and neoliberalism more generally in the U.K., but I didn’t know the origins or how they were being used in the US or the malign end game and frankly inhuman origins of these policies.Very interesting link between US inequality levels and the constitutional checks and balances.I always make a point of reading the critics of such works and the odious pile of pathetically biased tissue thin carping from those exposed by their own words is great testimony to its accuracy.Must read for anyone interested in building civilisation and not tearing it down.

Excellent introduction to the subject

How very interesting. Explains a multitude.

If you want to understand the United States, this book, plus Jane Mayer's "Dark Money" followed up with John Perkins "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man lift the covers on the chess game going on still today. What some people and countries will do to take advantage of others. It is the law of the jungle. Eat or be eaten. Fascinating read. Educate yourself with reality. Even in a free speech society, these authors worry about the repercussions to themselves by lifting the covers so others can see.