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Thomas Sowell has taught economics at a number of colleges and universities, including Cornell, University of California Los Angeles, and Amherst. He has published both scholarly and popular articles and books on economics, and is currently a scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2016
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Thomas Sowell is an author to be "discovered". He wrote "Dismantling America" half way through obama's first term, when he was (I believe) 82. To say he is 'insightful' would be massive understatement. For any conservative, you will find everything you wish you had said here (and more than a few things you haven't yet heard of). For my liberal friends, if you have any interest in knowing why conservatives think as they do, this is the book you need.
Easy to read - - - a study in logic - - - I can't recommend it strongly enough - - -
If you have read and enjoyed The Thomas Sowell Reader (written in 2011), this is a great companion read from a year earlier. Each essay is newspaper article short (2-3 pages), and stands alone. This volume covers a number of issues from the Obama presidency, and is a great counterpoint the arguments put forward by the Main Stream Media. Sowell writes in a logical and understandable style, and his positions are always founded in facts, not what we might want to believe. This volume and The Thomas Sowell Reader should be required reading for every high school student.
Tom debunks many of the progressive ideas that have infiltrated the American consciousness since Woodrow Wilson. Interesting to combine these ideas with the evolution of public relations which has in fact made a profession of propaganda. Sadly this leads to a diagnosis of the condition of the American project as it was created in 1776 in serious decline. The hope is that people will wake up to the truth and stop this decline.
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is an outstanding summary, of a unique individual's view of how the U.S. has gotten to the sad state it's in today.
If there is one thing missing from the book that I could wish for, it would be an Index to help going back to locate his references to particular events, subjects, or situations. This book is an organized collection of various columns in various subject areas over time, and doesn't include such an index: that would be very helpful to locate sources for documentation and reinforcement.
Thomas Sowell has a very interesting background. Drafted into the Marine Corps during the Korean War, he then used the GI Bill to gain a college education, going on to a Ph.D. in Economics. He states that he started out a Marxist in outlook, but changed his mind from exposure 'in the real world'. How fortunate for us that he gained the perspective, and motivation, to write essays so insightful in so many areas.
One area where I take exception to his views is in regard to Israel, and perhaps Iran, and aspects of the Middle East. But he probably hasn't had prolonged exposure to the seamier side of Israel's elitist ruling establishment, and the effect of their lobby on U.S. policies. For all the good and outstanding observations he offers in other areas, I can forgive and overlook this one area.
This was written during the Obama administration, so it covered the Administration's failures, which we already knew. The book is a compilation of some of his newspaper columns, which means a wide-ranging number of topics, such the blame game, bowing to "world opinion", are you an "extremist?" The author addresses these issues intelligently, and with enough explanation to understand his argument. However, he is addressing people who most likely agree with him, since those who disagree with him will not read him.
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2017
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As usual, Tom Sowell cuts through to the essence. He understands what's causing America's steady decline and believes we can reverse it if we know what's happening and why.
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
I always enjoy Thomas Sowell's books and books on tape. He clearly illustrates the feelings and believes of Middle Americans and conservatism. Moreover, he represents the believes of millions of military veterans duty, honor, and country!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2010
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This latest book of Dr. Sowell's is a collection of his essays from the last year or so. Those essays address American cultural issues in addition to national and international political ones. It is refreshing in these short pieces of his thinking, that he provides data as support for his assertions. His writing is direct and his arguments are logical. This book should serve to whet the reader's appetite for more detailed treatment of the ideas discussed. To that end, the reader will be greatly rewarded by examining Dr. Sowell's other books.
In the parts of the book that contain new material (e.g., the Preface, and introductions to essay groups), the author unmistakably conveys a belief in a most unpleasant outlook for the future of the United States-and the West in general. His study and experience of our world and its history (as glimpsed in these essays), over many decades, forces him to conclude that very dark times for civilization are likely approaching. Naturally, he continues to fight the good fight and hopes for the best. I pray that his hope is warranted.
This book contains a collection of essays/articles by Thomas Sowell on his views on the current state of the USA. If you are familiar with or a fan of Sowell's work then you will enjoy this. Thomas Sowell would be regarded as " right wing ", so depending on your politics it will either appeal to you or you will run away from it. As a non-american I cannot testify to the veracity of his arguments or opinions. This book is easy on the eyes like most of Sowell's works. There is no attempt to impress people by using ten words when five will do. Sowell is a Libertarian & is very concerned about the increasing intrusion of government into everyday life & especially the increase of this under the Obama administration. He wonders whether Americans have lost their thirst for liberty and if they are too hooked on the welfare state that is cradle to care entitlements to be concerned about their increasing loss of liberty. This book contains essays on his political, social & economic views. Hope this has been helpful
A collection of short articles or essays by Thomas Sowell. Most of the articles are incisive, clever and undisputable. Thomas Sowell is considered conservative, but his articles are mostly objective analysis of problems and issues of contemporary politics, culture, economics, without a particular bias. A very good read as well.
In dieser Sammlung von Zeitungskolumnen, die der amerikanische Ökonom und Publizist Thomas Sowell in den letzten Jahren vorgelegt hat, geht es primär um den internen Niedergang der Vereinigten Staaten. Die Institutionen und Werte, welche einst für den Aufstieg der USA zur Weltmacht verantwortlich waren, sind für den Autor heute nur noch ein Schatten ihrer selbst. Sie wurden seit den sechziger Jahren systematisch unterhöhlt und von einer linksliberalen Ideologie zweckentfremdet. Das Resultat dieser Entwicklung ist aus der Sicht von Sowell verheerend. In sämtlichen Bereichen der amerikanischen Gesellschaft ist es zu dekadenten Verhältnissen gekommen, die in ihrer Summe einen "perfekten Sturm“ bilden. Den Amerikanern droht ein unaufhaltsamer Abstieg, der sogar die gesamte westliche Zivilisation gefährden kann.
Sowell behandelt in seinen Beiträgen ein breites Themenspektrum. Es umfasst politische, wirtschaftliche, kulturelle und rechtliche Aspekte. Bei aller inhaltlichen Vielfalt zeichnet sich doch ein roter Faden ab, der die verschiedenen Kolumnen zusammenhält. Er besteht aus der Trias der mangelhaften Eigenverantwortung, des Politikversagens und der Erosion moralischer und rechtlicher Normen. Die Finanzkrise, welche 2008 die Märkte erschütterte, war beispielsweise kein Marktversagen. Erst die amerikanischen Politiker, welche gerne die "Gier“ der Wirtschaftsbosse geißeln, haben mit ihren unverantwortlichen Forderungen nach möglichst viel Wohneigentum für unterprivilegierte Bevölkerungsgruppen den Zusammenbruch der Märkte verursacht. Unter normalen Marktbedingungen wären Kredite nie an solche Personen vergeben worden, die ökonomisch gar nicht im Stande waren, sie jemals zurückzuzahlen.
Anhand der Verstaatlichung des Gesundheitssystems, die von den Demokraten vorangetrieben wurde, verdeutlicht der Autor die zunehmende Abkehr vom Prinzip der Eigenverantwortung. Anstatt es den Bürgern selbst zu überlassen, ob und in welchem Umfang sie krankenversichert sein wollen, soll ihnen dies nun vom Staat vorgeschrieben werden. Dabei ist die Leistungsfähigkeit und die Kosteneffizienz eines staatlichen Gesundheitswesens mehr als fragwürdig. Auch im Rechtssystem hat sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten ein negativer Trend verfestigt, der sich vor allem darin manifestiert, dass sich Richter als eine Art von "Ersatzgesetzgeber“ verstehen. In ihren Urteilen orientieren sie sich häufig nicht am vorgegebenen positiven Recht. Sie versuchen stattdessen, ihre politischen und ideologischen Wunschvorstellungen zur Grundlage der Entscheidungsfindung zu machen. Das Recht verkümmert letztlich zu einem Erfüllungsgehilfen der linksliberalen Gesinnung.
Die inneren Probleme der USA werden zudem noch durch außenpolitische Schwächen verschärft. Reale Gefahren werden hier geleugnet oder durch bloße Rhetorik verdeckt. So wird etwa die Bedrohung durch einen nuklear aufgerüsteten Iran heruntergespielt und durch eine diplomatische Scheinaktivität vernebelt. Insgesamt gesehen fühlt man sich beim Lesen der Ausführungen von Sowell des Öfteren an Edward Gibbon und den Untergang des Römischen Reiches erinnert. Der Autor, der selbst auf Gibbon und sein Werk verweist, geht leider nicht näher auf Entwicklungen ein, die seiner düsteren Diagnose entgegenwirken könnten. Gerade in den Vereinigten Staaten gibt es aber noch eine vitale konservative Bewegung, welche unter günstigen Umständen in der Lage ist, den beschriebenen Verfall der Institutionen und Werte zu stoppen. Die Hoffnung, die bekanntlich zuletzt stirbt, darf deshalb nicht aufgegeben werden. Thomas Sowell und seine Leser würden gut daran tun, dies zu beherzigen.
