Carbon Democracy. As tumultuous events in Egypt unfold at speed, with former President Morsi currently in custody, we present Verso's updated reading list of key titles and articles addressing the challenges facing Egypt and the Middle East.
Seamus Milne considers the current situation in Egypt in the context of the Arab Spring and its historical precedents in the "Spring of Nations" of 1848 in his latest article for the Guardian. His latest book, The Revenge of History, follows the events of the Arab Spring as they unfold, as well as providing a rich geopolitical context for the uprisings. The Journey to Tahrir: Revolution, Protest, and Social Change in EgyptEdited by Jeannie Sowers and Chris Toensing The account of how it all began, this collection of reports from the region details the causes that underpinned the revolution before it amassed in scale. Soldiers, Spies and Statesmen: Egypt's Road to Revoltby Hazem Kandil. James Kwak for Democracy Journal: Failure Is an Option. Issue #25, Summer 2012 Two scholars scan history to find that nations fall because once-open institutions become closed and corrupt.
If this sounds ominous, it should. James Kwak In 1776, Adam Smith published An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.