🏢 Corporate Power

Investigations into how corporations shape politics, culture, and daily life — often in ways invisible to the public. These books follow the money and influence to reveal who really holds the reins.

The Transformation of Corporate Control

by Neil Fligstein • 1990

Antitrust, not markets, built the modern firm: four legal pivots that remade American business.

4.09

🏢 Corporate History 📊 Economic Sociology ⚖️ Antitrust Law 🤝 Mergers And Acquisitions 🏛️ Corporate Governance

The Transformation of Corporate Control

Antitrust, not markets, built the modern firm: four legal pivots that remade American business.

by Neil Fligstein 1990

4.09

11 ratings

🏢 Corporate History 📊 Economic Sociology ⚖️ Antitrust Law 🤝 Mergers And Acquisitions 🏛️ Corporate Governance

C. Wright Mills and the Power Elite

by G. William Domhoff • 1968

A united elite of generals, CEOs, and politicians controls America. Pluralism is a comforting myth.

4.53

🔌 Power Structures 👑 Elite Theory 👥 Mass Society 📺 Media Manipulation ⚙️ Military-Industrial Complex

C. Wright Mills and the Power Elite

A united elite of generals, CEOs, and politicians controls America. Pluralism is a comforting myth.

by G. William Domhoff 1968

4.53

17 ratings

🔌 Power Structures 👑 Elite Theory 👥 Mass Society 📺 Media Manipulation ⚙️ Military-Industrial Complex

Progressivism

by Walter Nugent • 2009

The landmark Progressive Era reforms owed less to urban crusaders than to angry farmers.

3.48

125

🏛️ Progressive Era 💰 Gilded Age 🗳️ Political Reform 🌾 Populism ⛪ Social Gospel

Progressivism

The landmark Progressive Era reforms owed less to urban crusaders than to angry farmers.

by Walter Nugent 2009

3.48

125 ratings

🏛️ Progressive Era 💰 Gilded Age 🗳️ Political Reform 🌾 Populism ⛪ Social Gospel

The Privatization of Everything

by Donald Cohen • 2021

The $2,315 COVID test wasn't a glitch. It was privatization, and it has remade American life.

4.39

728

🏛️ Privatization Critique 📊 Political Economy ⚠️ Market Failure 💸 Austerity Politics 🗳️ Democratic Erosion

The Privatization of Everything

The $2,315 COVID test wasn't a glitch. It was privatization, and it has remade American life.

by Donald Cohen 2021

4.39

728 ratings

🏛️ Privatization Critique 📊 Political Economy ⚠️ Market Failure 💸 Austerity Politics 🗳️ Democratic Erosion

Beyond Outrage

by Robert B. Reich • 2012

The top 1% doubled their share of national income, and then they bought the government.

4.06

2k+

🏚️ Economic Inequality 💰 Money In Politics 📈 Progressive Economics 🏛️ Political Economy 📉 Income Stagnation

Beyond Outrage

The top 1% doubled their share of national income, and then they bought the government.

by Robert B. Reich 2012

4.06

2k+ ratings

🏚️ Economic Inequality 💰 Money In Politics 📈 Progressive Economics 🏛️ Political Economy 📉 Income Stagnation

The Most Dangerous Man In Detroit

by Nelson Lichtenstein • 1995

The labor leader who could have reshaped American capitalism settled for a cost-of-living clause.

4.04

🏭 Labor History 🚗 Auto Industry 🌹 Social Democracy 🤝 Collective Bargaining ✊ Labor Militancy

The Most Dangerous Man In Detroit

The labor leader who could have reshaped American capitalism settled for a cost-of-living clause.

by Nelson Lichtenstein 1995

4.04

96 ratings

🏭 Labor History 🚗 Auto Industry 🌹 Social Democracy 🤝 Collective Bargaining ✊ Labor Militancy

Vulture Capitalism

by Grace Blakeley • 2024

The free market is a myth: the economy is planned by oligarchs and serves only them.

4.15

3k+

🏛️ Political Economy 💰 Neoliberalism 🌍 Imperialism 🗳️ Economic Democracy 🔨 Marxist Economics

Vulture Capitalism

The free market is a myth: the economy is planned by oligarchs and serves only them.

by Grace Blakeley 2024

4.15

3k+ ratings

🏛️ Political Economy 💰 Neoliberalism 🌍 Imperialism 🗳️ Economic Democracy 🔨 Marxist Economics

American Amnesia

by Jacob S. Hacker • 2016

America's wealth was built by government, not just markets. Forgetting that is undoing us.

4.14

674

🏛️ Political Economy 🇺🇸 American Politics 📉 Market Failures ⚡ Political Polarization 💰 Rent-Seeking

American Amnesia

America's wealth was built by government, not just markets. Forgetting that is undoing us.

by Jacob S. Hacker 2016

4.14

674 ratings

🏛️ Political Economy 🇺🇸 American Politics 📉 Market Failures ⚡ Political Polarization 💰 Rent-Seeking

Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism?

by Robert Kuttner • 2018

Centrists killed the alternative to laissez-faire. Now the far right is rising from the corpse.

4.10

318

🏛️ Political Economy 💸 Neoliberalism Critique 🏦 Financial Deregulation 👷 Precarious Work 🚩 Authoritarian Populism

Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism?

Centrists killed the alternative to laissez-faire. Now the far right is rising from the corpse.

by Robert Kuttner 2018

4.10

318 ratings

🏛️ Political Economy 💸 Neoliberalism Critique 🏦 Financial Deregulation 👷 Precarious Work 🚩 Authoritarian Populism

The Deindustrialization of America

by Barry Bluestone • 1982

Plant closures were a strategy, not fate. Government made capital mobile and communities expendable.

3.92

🏗️ Rust Belt Economy 🏚️ Plant Closings 🔄 Economic Restructuring 💔 Social Costs ✊ Union Decline

The Deindustrialization of America

Plant closures were a strategy, not fate. Government made capital mobile and communities expendable.

by Barry Bluestone 1982

3.92

25 ratings

🏗️ Rust Belt Economy 🏚️ Plant Closings 🔄 Economic Restructuring 💔 Social Costs ✊ Union Decline

Hell to Pay

by Michael Lind • 2023

Stagnant wages aren't fate. They were engineered by a decades-long campaign to crush worker power.

3.93

🧑‍🔧 Labor Economics 🏛️ Political Economy 💸 Wage Inequality 🪧 Union Decline 🎓 Credentialism

Hell to Pay

Stagnant wages aren't fate. They were engineered by a decades-long campaign to crush worker power.

by Michael Lind 2023

3.93

80 ratings

🧑‍🔧 Labor Economics 🏛️ Political Economy 💸 Wage Inequality 🪧 Union Decline 🎓 Credentialism

Corporation Nation

by Charles Derber • 1998

The biggest threat to American democracy isn't in the White House. It's in the corner office.

3.74

💰 Corporate Welfare 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 🗳️ Economic Democracy ✊ Labor Movements 🏛️ Privatization

Corporation Nation

The biggest threat to American democracy isn't in the White House. It's in the corner office.

by Charles Derber 1998

3.74

65 ratings

💰 Corporate Welfare 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 🗳️ Economic Democracy ✊ Labor Movements 🏛️ Privatization

Harvest the Vote

by Jane Kleeb • 2020

Democrats lost rural America by walking away. A Nebraska organizer shows how to win it back.

3.82

214

🏘️ Rural Politics ✊ Grassroots Organizing 🏡 Property Rights 🏥 Healthcare Access 🌍 Climate Justice

Harvest the Vote

Democrats lost rural America by walking away. A Nebraska organizer shows how to win it back.

by Jane Kleeb 2020

3.82

214 ratings

🏘️ Rural Politics ✊ Grassroots Organizing 🏡 Property Rights 🏥 Healthcare Access 🌍 Climate Justice

A True History of the United States

by Daniel A. Sjursen • 2021

Genocide, slavery, and concentrated wealth: an unblinking history from the bottom up.

4.43

707

📜 Revisionist History 🌍 Settler Colonialism 🏛️ American Empire ⚖️ Structural Racism 💰 Economic Inequality

A True History of the United States

Genocide, slavery, and concentrated wealth: an unblinking history from the bottom up.

by Daniel A. Sjursen 2021

4.43

707 ratings

📜 Revisionist History 🌍 Settler Colonialism 🏛️ American Empire ⚖️ Structural Racism 💰 Economic Inequality

Age of Betrayal

by Jack Beatty • 2007

The Civil War freed the slaves. The next generation freed the corporations.

3.66

142

🏦 Gilded Age 🔨 Labor History 💰 Economic Inequality 🏛️ Corporate Personhood 🗳️ Disfranchisement

Age of Betrayal

The Civil War freed the slaves. The next generation freed the corporations.

by Jack Beatty 2007

3.66

142 ratings

🏦 Gilded Age 🔨 Labor History 💰 Economic Inequality 🏛️ Corporate Personhood 🗳️ Disfranchisement

Socializing Capital

by William G. Roy • 1997

Corporations dominate industry because state law and banks built a system only they could win.

3.90

🏢 Corporate History 🇺🇸 American Capitalism 📚 Historical Sociology 💰 Financial History 🎩 Gilded Age

Socializing Capital

Corporations dominate industry because state law and banks built a system only they could win.

by William G. Roy 1997

3.90

21 ratings

🏢 Corporate History 🇺🇸 American Capitalism 📚 Historical Sociology 💰 Financial History 🎩 Gilded Age

Sunbelt Capitalism

by Elizabeth Tandy Shermer • 2013

How Phoenix elites seized government, broke unions, and built a corporate model that remade America.

3.23

☀️ Sunbelt Politics 🏗️ Urban Development ⚒️ Anti-Union Politics 🏛️ Political Economy 📉 Neoliberalism

Sunbelt Capitalism

How Phoenix elites seized government, broke unions, and built a corporate model that remade America.

by Elizabeth Tandy Shermer 2013

3.23

22 ratings

☀️ Sunbelt Politics 🏗️ Urban Development ⚒️ Anti-Union Politics 🏛️ Political Economy 📉 Neoliberalism

Plutocracy in America

by Ronald P. Formisano • 2015

How the wealthy captured democracy, rewrote the rules, and left the middle class with the bill.

4.05

🏦 Wealth Inequality 📉 Middle Class Decline 💰 Campaign Finance 🧱 Structural Inequality 🪜 Social Mobility

Plutocracy in America

How the wealthy captured democracy, rewrote the rules, and left the middle class with the bill.

by Ronald P. Formisano 2015

4.05

21 ratings

🏦 Wealth Inequality 📉 Middle Class Decline 💰 Campaign Finance 🧱 Structural Inequality 🪜 Social Mobility

Cheaponomics

by Michael S. Carolan • 2014

Every low price hides a bill you are already paying, just not at the register.

3.65

💸 Externalized Costs 🛒 Consumer Capitalism 🌽 Food Politics 🤝 Sharing Economy ⏳ Planned Obsolescence

Cheaponomics

Every low price hides a bill you are already paying, just not at the register.

by Michael S. Carolan 2014

3.65

20 ratings

💸 Externalized Costs 🛒 Consumer Capitalism 🌽 Food Politics 🤝 Sharing Economy ⏳ Planned Obsolescence

The Power Elite

by C. Wright Mills • 1956

Corporate wealth, military brass, and political appointees run a closed circuit; the public watches.

4.15

2k+

🏛️ Elite Studies 🗳️ Political Sociology 🤖 Mass Society Critique 💣 Military-Industrial Complex ⚠️ Democratic Decline

The Power Elite

Corporate wealth, military brass, and political appointees run a closed circuit; the public watches.

by C. Wright Mills 1956

4.15

2k+ ratings

🏛️ Elite Studies 🗳️ Political Sociology 🤖 Mass Society Critique 💣 Military-Industrial Complex ⚠️ Democratic Decline

Supercapitalism

by Robert B. Reich • 2007

Capitalism gave us what we want; democracy stopped giving us what we need.

3.99

2k+

🌐 Political Economy 🏛️ Regulatory Capture 💰 Income Inequality 📈 Postwar Prosperity 🛍️ Consumer Culture

Supercapitalism

Capitalism gave us what we want; democracy stopped giving us what we need.

by Robert B. Reich 2007

3.99

2k+ ratings

🌐 Political Economy 🏛️ Regulatory Capture 💰 Income Inequality 📈 Postwar Prosperity 🛍️ Consumer Culture

We've Got People

by Ryan Grim • 2019

From Jesse Jackson to AOC: the four-decade fight to reclaim the Democrats from big money.

4.25

577

✊ Progressive Movements 🏛️ Democratic Party 💵 Money In Politics 🌱 Grassroots Organizing 🗳️ Electoral Strategy

We've Got People

From Jesse Jackson to AOC: the four-decade fight to reclaim the Democrats from big money.

by Ryan Grim 2019

4.25

577 ratings

✊ Progressive Movements 🏛️ Democratic Party 💵 Money In Politics 🌱 Grassroots Organizing 🗳️ Electoral Strategy

The New Rulers of the World

by John Pilger • 2002

The global economy was built on mass graves. A reporter shows you who filled them.

4.14

1k+

🏴 Anti-Imperialism 🔍 Investigative Journalism 📰 Media Criticism 📡 Propaganda Studies 🌐 Globalization Critique

The New Rulers of the World

The global economy was built on mass graves. A reporter shows you who filled them.

by John Pilger 2002

4.14

1k+ ratings

🏴 Anti-Imperialism 🔍 Investigative Journalism 📰 Media Criticism 📡 Propaganda Studies 🌐 Globalization Critique

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