Global Politics Audiobooks | Politics

National Ballot Measures 2024: Living Democracy

National Ballot Measures 2024 - Living Democracy is my gift to the country that I love dearly and have always wanted to see it survive, thrive and improve. Whenever I am forced to listen to a speech made by any of our Congressmen or women, I will often count the number of times they will refer to America as a 'Democracy'. They use that word an average of 15 to 20 times per speech. They'll say things like - 'Democracy is not pretty.' Or they'll say, 'Democracy is messy and people don't want to see how the sausage is made.' Or they will say that people are trying to 'end the 'American experiment in Democracy.' Or they'll quote one of the greatest of the founding fathers - Benjamin Franklin who was asked as the signers of of the Constitution were leaving: 'Mr. Franklin, what kind of government have you given us?' And Franklin replied: 'A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.' And so, we can take from this very portentous comment from Ben Franklin that the founding fathers were well aware that there would be forces someday who would try to take even this very modest amount of democracy - a Representative form of Democracy away from us. It would take almost 250 years for this prediction to come true, but here we are under the threat of a dictatorship that could be forced upon us any minute will certainly spell the end of the American Experiment in Democracy, or it will cause a huge upheaval, perhaps even another Civil War, as many are predicting. Not if we make a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT in our form of Government. . Every election more than half of our registered voters sit it out and the reason is that every election we find ourselves voting for the same old same old. With the modern technology we have gained, there is no reason why we cannot vote on National Ballot Measures instead of two men in suits.

Michael Mathiesen (Author), Michael Mathiesen (Narrator)

Audiobook

Living Democracy: An ecological manifesto for the end of the world as we know it

The way we glow when having a great conversation, building off each other’s ideas, finding solutions we can all be satisfied with. The way we spark together when marching in protest. This is living democracy. Yes, the world looks bleak. Across our society there’s a mounting sense of desperation in the face of the climate crisis, gaping economic inequality and racial injustice, increasing threat of war, and a post-truth politics divorced from reality. Extinction is in the air. But what if the solutions to our ecological, social and political crises could all be found in the same approach? What if it was possible for us to not just survive, but thrive? In Living Democracy, Tim Hollo offers bold ideas and a positive vision. It’s the end of the world as we know it, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, around the globe, people and communities are beginning an exciting new journey. This book will inspire you, inform you, and get you fired up to co-create our common future. A living democracy. 'A brilliant conversation and action kick-starter from a man who walks the talk.'– Christine Milne 'It’s pretty clear that the world we’ve known isn't working very well anymore; we need to reinvent it, and this book brims with good ideas about what that means!' – Bill McKibben 'A great vision for a bloodless coup of mutual aid and rule-governed anarchy.' – Tyson Yunkaporta 'I have been waiting for this book, and now that Tim Hollo has written it, I’ll be putting it in the hands of pretty much everyone I know.' – Danielle Celermajer 'Timely, vivid and urgent, this is a book that meets the challenges of our age head-on.' – Scott Ludlam **Music: 'Now To The Future', (c) FourPlay String Quartet, Lara Goodridge, Shenton Gregory, Peter Hollo, Tim Hollo

Tim Hollo (Author), Tim Hollo (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him

‘A highly imaginative and thought-provoking way of exploring the personality of a man who, like him or loathe him, left an indelible mark on our age’ ADAM ZAMOYSKI Winston Churchill followed his own star. He yearned to be ‘great’, to gain historical immortality. And he did so through deeds and words: his actions as a soldier and politician, gilded by his writings as a journalist and historian. But Churchill’s path to greatness was also defined by the leaders he encountered along the way – friends and foes, at home and abroad. Men of power such as Hitler and Mussolini, Roosevelt and Stalin, David Lloyd George, Neville Chamberlain and Charles de Gaulle. And the haunting presence of the adored father who had seen nothing of merit in his troublesome son. In these men Churchill discerned greatness, or its absence, in ways that influenced his own career. This book includes some whom Churchill would not have deemed ‘great’, but who – in our own day – offer alternative mirrors of what that word might mean. Mahatma Gandhi, who infuriated Churchill by exploiting the power of powerlessness. Clement Attlee, whose heretical vision of ‘Great Britain’ was socialist and post-imperial. And his darling Clementine, channelling her ‘pinko’ sentiments to become Winston’s essential helpmate and most devoted critic. Mirrors of Greatness offers vivid new perspectives on Churchill’s life and work, showing how this unique man – with dazzling gifts and jagged flaws – learned from his ‘great contemporaries’ and what they saw in him.

David Reynolds (Author), Ethan Kelly (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Great American Bank Robbery: The Unauthorized Report About What Really Caused the Great Recessio

You may not realize it, but you helped pay for a $10 million, fourteen-month government "investigation" of the housing collapse. Only your $10 million didn't buy much, and it certainly didn't buy truth; any hope of that went out the window on day one. The congressionally appointed panel-made up primarily of anti-market, historic revisionists-managed to shift the blame away from Washington and onto mortgage lenders and "greedy" Wall Street executives, while protecting the real culprits at the core of the crisis: POLITICIANS LIKE THEMSELVES. It's not about Democrat or Republican, left or right, black or white. It's about the usual suspects-money and power and the people who use government to manipulate them for private advantage. The Great American Bank Robbery maps out in detail exactly how Washington social engineers and their accomplices reshaped banking regulations and housing policies and gutted time-tested underwriting standards that led to the worst financial calamity since the 1930s, one that has robbed American households of $14 trillion in net worth. And they're not done yet . . . Accompanying tables and appendix are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Paul Sperry (Author), Milton Bagby (Narrator)

Audiobook

It's Not You, It's Capitalism: Why It's Time to Break Up and How to Move On

A biting, brilliant, often hilarious guide to socialism for budding anti-capitalists who know it's time to dump their toxic ex (Capitalism) and try something finer. Journalist Malaika Jabali debunks myths, centers forgotten socialists of color who have shaped our world, and shows socialism is not all Marx and Bernie Bros-it can be pretty sexy. We've all dated someone who took control of the relationship-you know, someone who makes you feel like you're unhappy because you're just not putting in the work, or it's all in your head. But when you think about trying to meet new people, it feels terrifying. Like, have you looked at Tinder recently? It's rough out there! Your tough-love new best friend, award-winning journalist, policy attorney, and life-long socialist Malaika Jabali is here to say: we are all in a generations-long toxic relationship with Capitalism, and it is time to get the h*ll out of there and move ALONG. She gives you everything you need to know about what a healthy relationship could actually look like, issue by issue-from healthcare and housing to the whole concept of American democracy-with our new boo: Socialism. And no, Socialism isn't the boring, grey, authoritarian, Cold-War-era monster that you've heard about. With accessible explanations and illustrations, often surprising graphs and stats, and some Drake memes, this book will show you that we NEED to build a world that's safer, kinder, cleaner, healthier, and more equal. And that this isn't a utopian dream - it's within our grasp, if we collectively decide to call out Capitalism for what it really is and wake up to a better future. Fun, smart, and inspiring, It's Not You It's Capitalism is the hottest new relationship in your life!

Malaika Jabali (Author), Malaika Jabali (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination

A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller-about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo "This is one of the best books I have read in years . . . gripping, full of colorful characters, and strange plot twists." -Fareed Zakaria, CNN host It was supposed to be a moment of great optimism, a cause for jubilation. The Congo was at last being set free from Belgium-one of seventeen countries to gain independence in 1960 from ruling European powers. At the helm as prime minister was charismatic nationalist Patrice Lumumba. Just days after the handover, however, the Congo's new army mutinied, Belgian forces intervened, and Lumumba turned to the United Nations for help in saving his newborn nation from what the press was already calling "the Congo crisis." Dag Hammarskjöld, the tidy Swede serving as UN secretary-general, quickly arranged the organization's biggest peacekeeping mission in history. But chaos was still spreading. Frustrated with the fecklessness of the UN and spurned by the United States, Lumumba then approached the Soviets for help-an appeal that set off alarm bells at the CIA. To forestall the spread of Communism in Africa, the CIA sent word to its station chief in the Congo, Larry Devlin: Lumumba had to go. Within a year, everything would unravel. The CIA plot to murder Lumumba would ﬁzzle out, but he would be deposed in a CIA-backed coup, transferred to enemy territory in a CIA-approved operation, and shot dead by Congolese assassins. Hammarskjöld, too, would die, in a mysterious plane crash en route to negotiate a cease-ﬁre with the Congo's rebellious southeast. And a young, ambitious military officer named Joseph Mobutu, who had once sworn fealty to Lumumba, would seize power with U.S. help and misrule the country for more than three decades. For the Congolese people, the events of 1960-61 represented the opening chapter of a long horror story. For the U.S. government, however, they provided a playbook for future interventions.

Stuart A. Reid (Author), Michael Boatman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth

How did Vladimir Putin galvanize the Russian people to back his genocidal war in Ukraine, and why are so many of them willing to embrace fascism? This vivid, on-the-ground narrative reveals how Russia's fascist generation came into being-and the dark future that awaits the country if that hold cannot be broken. Wartime Russia is drowning in fascist symbols. Zealous patriots attack journalists, opposition activists, and anyone suspected of betraying the motherland. Russians are urged to join the cause by hordes of online trolls and sleek videos of angry young men bellowing patriotic slogans. State television terrifies viewers with trumped up tales of anti-Russian conspiracies and genocidal yearnings. Child soldiers proudly parade across Red Square. This is Russia in the 2020s: a land of performative rage and nationalist untruth, where play-acting, pretense, and broken promises are a way of life. But in a world where pretense has become the norm, a terrifying, apocalyptic mindset is seizing the Russians of tomorrow. As enrapturing as it is terrifying, Z Generation reveals how Russia ended up where it is today, and where its young people are headed: a fascist generation more zealous, violent, and ideological than anything the country has seen before.

Ian Garner (Author), Daniel Henning (Narrator)

Audiobook

Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine

‘A major book that will enlighten the layman and guide the statesman or geopolitical student’ DR. HENRY KISSINGER Two leading authorities – a bestselling historian and the outstanding battlefield commander and strategist of our time – collaborate on a landmark examination of war since 1945. Conflict is both a sweeping history of the evolution of warfare up to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past, and anticipate in the future, in order to navigate an increasingly perilous world. In this deep and incisive study, General David Petraeus, the former CIA director who commanded the US-led coalitions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and the prize-winning historian Andrew Roberts, explore over seventy years of conflict, drawing significant lessons and insights from their fresh analysis of the past. Petraeus and Roberts show how often critical mistakes have been repeated time and again, and explore the challenge, for statesmen and generals alike, of learning to adapt to various new weapon systems, theories and strategies. Among the conflicts examined are the Arab – Israeli wars, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the two Gulf wars, the Balkan wars in the former Yugoslavia, and both the Soviet and Coalition wars in Afghanistan, as well as guerrilla conflicts in Africa and South America. Conflict culminates with a bracing look at Putin’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine, yet another case study in the tragic results that occur when leaders refuse to learn from history, and an assessment of the nature of future warfare. Filled with sharp insight and the wisdom of experience, Conflict is not only a critical assessment of our recent past, but also an essential primer of modern warfare that provides crucial knowledge for waging battle today as well as for understanding what the decades ahead will bring. ‘This collaboration between a famous general and a distinguished author is a marriage made in heaven. The book’s narrative is seamless, sustained by comparative judgements, and calculated to challenge the professional and enlighten the generalist’ PROFESSOR SIR HEW STRACHAN, Chichele Professor of History of War ‘Not since Clausewitz’ On War has a book provided so much insight into the nature of warfare. Deeply researched, brilliantly constructed and thoroughly entertaining, Conflict gets to the heart of why some nations win and others lose during war. It is a book that will shape the thinking of policy makers and military strategists for generations to come’ ADMIRAL WILLIAM H. MCRAVEN, US Navy ( Ret .); former Commander of US Special Operations Command

Andrew Roberts, David Petraeus (Author), Robert Fass (Narrator)

Audiobook

China and Russia: Four Centuries of Conflict and Concord

A compelling, expansive history of the relationship between China and Russia, from the seventeenth century to the present Russia and China, the largest and most populous countries in the world, respectively, have maintained a delicate relationship for four centuries. In addition to a four-thousand-kilometer border, they have periodically shared a common outlook on political and economic affairs. But they are, in essence, profoundly different polities and cultures, and their intermittent alliances have proven difficult and at times even volatile. Philip Snow provides a full account of the relationship between these two global giants. Looking at politics, religion, economics, and culture, Snow uncovers the deep roots of the two nations' alignment. We see the shifts in the balance of power, from the wealth and strength of early Qing China to the Tsarist and Soviet ascendancies, and episodes of intense conflict followed by harmony. He looks too at the experiences and opinions of ordinary people, which often vastly differed from those of their governments, and considers how long the countries' current amicable relationship might endure.

Philip Snow (Author), Michael Page (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law

Nonie Darwish lived for thirty years in a majority Muslim nation. Everything about her life?family, sexuality, hygiene, business, banking, contracts, economics, politics, social issues, everything?was dictated by the Islamic law code known as Sharia. But Sharia isn't staying in majority Muslim nations. Darwish now lives in the West and brings a warning; the goal of radical Islam is to bring Sharia law to your country. If that happens, the fabric of Western law and liberty will be ripped in two. Under Sharia law: - A woman can be beaten for talking to men who are not her relatives and flogged for not wearing a headdress - Daughters, sisters, and wives can be legally killed by the men in their family - Non-Muslims can be beheaded, and their Muslim killers will not receive the death penalty - Certain kinds of child molestation are allowed - The husband of a 'rebellious' wife can deny her medical care or place her under house arrest Think it can't happen? In 2008, England?once the seat of Western liberty and now the home of many Muslim immigrants?declared that Sharia courts in Britain have the force of law. When Muslim populations reach as little as 1 or 2 percent, says Darwish, they begin making demands of the larger community, such as foot-level faucets for washing before praying in public schools, businesses, and airports. 'Airports in Kansas City, Phoenix, and Indianapolis are among those who have already installed foot baths for Muslim cab drivers,' writes Darwish. These demands test how far Westerners will go in accommodating the Muslim minority. How far will they push? The Organization of the Islamic Conference works to Islamize international human rights laws and apply Sharia 'standards' for blasphemy to all nations. The penalty for blasphemy? Death. Weaving personal experience together with extensive documentation and research, Darwish exposes the facts and reveals the global threat posed by Sharia law. Anyone concerned about Western rights and liberties ignores her warning and analysis at their peril.

Nonie Darwish (Author), Carol Jacobanis (Narrator)

Audiobook

[German] - Die große Vertrauenskrise - Ein Bewältigungskompass (Ungekürzte Autorenlesung)

Das Vertrauen der Europäer in die demokratische Politik ist zerrüttet. Institutionen, die im 20. Jahrhundert zu den wichtigsten Vertrauensträgern gehörten, werden von vielen infrage gestellt. Woran liegt das? Was bedeutet das für unsere Gesellschaft? Und wie können wir damit umgehen? In den vergangenen Jahren hat sich ein dramatischer gesellschaftlicher Wandel vollzogen. Viele Menschen stehen nicht nur der Politik, sondern auch großen Konzernen, Medien und sogar der Wissenschaft mit Skepsis gegenüber. Ereignisse wie der russische Überfall auf die Ukraine oder die Pandemie haben zu einer Vertiefung dieses Trends geführt. Und sie haben Frontverläufe eines tiefgreifenden Misstrauens sichtbar gemacht, das in persönlichen Beziehungen eingesickert ist. Sogar im engsten Kollegen-, Freundes- und Familienkreis sind Risse entstanden. Sascha Lobo zeigt, dass die große Vertrauenskrise Symptom viel tiefergreifender Veränderungen ist. Erst, wer diese versteht, erkennt, warum Vertrauen zerbrochen ist - und nicht mehr wie in der Vergangenheit hergestellt werden kann. Vertrauen aber ist die Grundlage unseres Zusammenlebens. Was also tun? Wir können die Aufgaben der Gegenwart und Zukunft nur meistern, wenn wir neues Vertrauen entwickeln. Die Grundlage dafür ist ein Bewältigungskompass, der es möglich macht, die Welt besser zu verstehen. Er dient zur Orientierung in Politik, Medien, Wirtschaft oder Wissenschaft. Und er zeigt Richtungen an, die uns bei der Bewältigung des Alltags helfen können.

Sascha Lobo (Author), Sascha Lobo (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West

Just a few years ago, people spoke of the US as a hyperpower-a titan stalking the world stage with more relative power than any empire in history. Yet as early as 1993, CIA director James Woolsey pointed out that although Western powers had 'slain a large dragon' by defeating the Soviet Union in the Cold War, they now faced a 'variety of poisonous snakes.' In The Dragons and the Snakes, the eminent soldier-scholar David Kilcullen asks how, and what, opponents of the West have learned during the last quarter-century of conflict. Applying a combination of evolutionary theory and detailed field observation, he explains what happened to the 'snakes'-non-state threats including terrorists and guerrillas-and the 'dragons'-state-based competitors such as Russia and China. He explores how enemies learn under conditions of conflict, and examines how Western dominance over a very particular form of warfare since the Cold War has created a fitness landscape that forces adversaries to adapt in ways that present serious new challenges to America and its allies. Within the world's contemporary conflict zones, Kilcullen argues, state and non-state threats have increasingly come to resemble each other, with states adopting non-state techniques and non-state actors now able to access levels of precision and lethal weapon systems once only available to governments.

David Kilcullen (Author), Christopher Douyard (Narrator)

Audiobook

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