By diving into the reading lists and writings of the Founding Fathers, Jeffrey Rosen provides a unique view on what inspired their thinking as they laid the foundations for America's founding. Of the many insights Rosen provides, one is that how we interpret "the pursuit of happiness" has markedly shifted over the centuries. According to the Founding Fathers, the pursuit of happiness was a eudemonistic endeavour (i.e. the pursuit of virtues like temperance, humility and moderation). In modern days, the pursuit of happiness is by many considered to be a hedonistic endeavour (i.e. the pursuit of vices, such as pleasure, wealth and status). The Founding Fathers recognised that if the republic they created was to survive and thrive, it required a citizenry who invested in character development, self-mastery, and the pursuit of virtue.
A New York Times bestseller and an “enriching…brilliant” (David W. Blight, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Frederick Douglass) examination of what “the pursuit of happiness” meant to our nation’s Founders and how that famous phrase defined their lives and became the foundation of our democracy.
The Declaration of Independence identified “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives,…
In this tour de force, William Magnuson provides a sweeping history of the modern corporation. Magnuson takes us on a journey (illustrated with case studies) beginning with the pivotal role played by corporations in the Roman Republic (or societates, as they were known), to the central role of banking in commerce (the Medici family in Renaissance Italy), to the emergence of the joint stock company in the 17th Century (the East India Company), to the development of the modern assembly line in the early 20th Century (Henry Ford), and finally to the corporate raider (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co) and the start up (Facebook). Magnuson does not lose sight of how left unchecked, the corporation can cause considerable harm. However, what history shows us is that their ability to recruit and organise large numbers of people in pursuit of a common goal has made corporations an extraordinary force for good.
A history of how corporate innovation has shaped society, from ancient Rome to Silicon Valley
From legacy manufacturers to emerging tech giants, corporations wield significant power over our lives, our economy, and our politics. Some celebrate them as engines of progress and prosperity. Others argue that they recklessly pursue profit at the expense of us all.
In For Profit, law professor William Magnuson reveals that both visions contain an element of truth. The story of the corporation is a human story, about a diverse group of merchants, bankers, and investors that have over time come to shape the landscape of…
If, like me, you are time poor, the thought of reading (or re-reading) a tomb like "War and Peace" can seem a little daunting. However, this does not mean you cannot enjoy the greatness of Leo Tolstoy - his short stories are a wonderful way to appreciate his genius, his wisdom, and his insight. There is something in this book for everyone with the added benefit that one does not need to spend hours to get through the plot. My personal favourite was "How Much Land Does a Man Need". As with all his stories, you are taken on a captivating journey, wondering where Tolstoy is taking you. And when you arrive at the destination, the twist is so deep and meaningful that no one would be poorer for investing 30 minutes of their life in reading it.
The Russian novelist and moral philosopher Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) ranks as one of the worlds great writers, and his War and Peace has been called the greatest novel ever written. The purpose of all true creative art, he believed, is to teach. But the message in all his stories is presented with such humour that the reader hardly realises that it is strongly didactic. The seven parts into which this book is divided include the best known Tolstoy stories. God Sees the Truth, but Waits and A Prisoner in the Caucasus which Tolstoy himself considered as his best; How Much…
A meditation that combines a personal life experience with research in the behavioural sciences to describe how institutions succumb to ethical failure.
