The Last Interview and Other Conversations

The Last Interview

by Hannah Arendt

“There are no dangerous thoughts for the simple reason that thinking itself is such a dangerous enterprise.” — Hannah Arendt

In these interviews—including her final interview given in October 1973, in the midst of Watergate and the Yom Kippur War—Hannah Arendt discusses politics, war, protest movements, the Eichmann trial, Jewish identity, and language with the incisiveness and courage that always set her apart.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Essays, Memoir, Biography

135 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Hannah Arendt (1906 – 1975) was one of the most influential political philosophers of the twentieth century. Born into a German-Jewish family, she was forced to leave Germany in 1933 and lived in Paris for the next eight years, working for a number of Jewish refugee organisations. In 1941 she immigrated to the United States and soon became part of a lively intellectual circle in New York. She held a number of academic positions at various American universities until her death in 1975. She is best known for two works that had a major impact both within and outside the academic community. The first, The Origins of Totalitarianism, published in 1951, was a study of the Nazi and Stalinist regimes that generated a wide-ranging debate on the nature and historical antecedents of the totalitarian phenomenon. The second, The Human Condition, published in 1958, was an original philosophical study that investigated the fundamental categories of the vita activa (labor, work, action). In addition to these two important works, Arendt published a number of influential essays on topics such as the nature of revolution, freedom, authority, tradition and the modern age. At the time of her death in 1975, she had completed the first two volumes of her last major philosophical work, The Life of the Mind, which examined the three fundamental faculties of the vita contemplativa (thinking, willing, judging).

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah Arendt was a German political philosopher who lived from 1906 - 1975. A Jew, she was forced to escape from Europe in 1941. She had been stripped of German citizenship in 1937 and when France was invaded in 1940, she was detained by French authorities as an alien. I don't know a great deal about her writing, but in my various political science courses at university, her name came up fairly often.

Hannah Arendt: The Last Interview and Other Conversations is a collection of 4 interviews by various people of Arendt that took place between 1964 & 1973. They covered a variety of themes; her life as a political philosopher, the trial in Jerusalem of Adolf Eichmann, thoughts on politics and revolution & her last interview by Roger Errera. Reading the various interviews reminded me of why I originally took Political Science and also why I switched to English after my 2nd year.. LOL.

I was very excited when I originally decided on a PolSci degree, but also it became evident that I was sick of school after 2nd year and wanted to take courses that maybe were less thought provoking (not that English courses weren't, just that I often struggled with Political philosophy). At any rate, I'm glad that I have begun to read more books on history and politics this past few years as 'the more you know'.. There were many topics of discussion with Arendt that struck a chord with me about the current political situation in the US and even around the world; the rise of tyranny and fanaticism, especially.

Arendt especially discusses this in line with Hitler's Germany; adminstration mandated murder (Eichmann's trial defense) and political criminals (in reference to Watergate and Nixon & also Hitler, but.. ). She quotes Berthold Brecht; 'The great political criminals must be exposed and exposed to laughter. They are not great political criminals, but people who who permitted great political crimes, which is something entirely different. The failure of his enterprises doe not indicate that Hitler was an idiot." Another quote that struck home about the state of the GOP. "If the ruling classes permit a small crook to become a great crook, he is not entitled to a privileged position in our view of history. That is, the fact that that he becomes a great crook and that what he did has great consequences does not add to his stature."

Just one of the many interesting discussions she is involved with in this book. The Last Interviews were an ongoing theme, involving varied people. I have the one with Ursula K. Le Guin on my bookshelf and another with Kurt Vonnegut on order. Worth checking out, just to read the thoughts of one of the great political philosophers of the early to mid-1900's. (4 stars)

[Leda · Rating 4 out of 5]

πολύ ενδιαφέρουσες συζητήσεις που αποσκοπούν στον αναστοχασμό και στην κριτική κατανόηση του ναζιστικού καθεστώτος. Προσωπικά, βρήκα την ανάλυση για τον Αΐχμαν από την Άρεντ πολύ οξυδερκής παρά τα αντεπιχειρήματα της εποχής. Ο ρόλος της ανώνυμης γραφειοκρατίας για την οργάνωση μαζικών δολοφονιών, καθώς και η συζήτηση για τη μετατροπή του ανθρώπου σε μία μηχανή ήταν διορατική, κυρίως αν σκεφτούμε το ρόλο της γραφειοκρατίας στις κοινωνίες, και δη στη γερμανική κοινωνία, μέχρι σήμερα. Ποιες είναι οι ηθικές επιπτώσεις τέτοιων συμπεριφορών και η τυφλή και απερίσκεπτη υποταγή στις «διαταγές» των προϊσταμένων; Με τη χρήση της τεχνολογίας και τη μαζικοποίηση πράγματι ο σημερινός άνθρωπος επαναπαύεται και ακολουθεί τις αλλαγές αμέτοχος. Παρ’όλα αυτά η ευθύνη του κάθε γραφειοκράτη παραμένει και εδώ έρχεται το παρόν δικαστικό σύστημα που επιτρέπει αυτή τη μεταστροφή του αγνώστου σε άτομο.

Ούτε εγώ πιστεύω πως το Κακό με αυτή την έννοια είναι κάτι δαιμόνιο ή ριζικό. Συμμετέχουμε συνεχώς σε αυτό σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο με την ημιμάθεια μας και την άκριτη στάση μας απέναντι στην εσωτερική κι εξωτερική πολιτική των εκάστοτε κυβερνήσεων.

«Αυτός ο εξαιρετικά χρήσιμος, εντελώς αδιάφορος, άκρως επικίνδυνος άνθρωπος, είναι το ακριβώς αντίθετο του επαναστάτη. Είναι το αντίθετο του ανθρώπου που δε θέλει να είναι καλός. Είναι η μηχανή που είναι καλή για όλα. Είναι ο σωστός άνθρωπος σε κάθε μέρος. Είναι το ιδανικό της ψυχοτεχνολογίας.» Χάρι Μούλις

Πολύ ενδιαφέρον και το επίμετρο!

Μείον 1 αστέρι για τη στάση της απέναντι στη γυναικεία χειραφέτηση και λόγω της σιωπής της για τον Χάιντεγκερ (αν και για το τελευταίο κατανοώ πως ο «έρωτας» μπορεί να τυφλώσει την κρίση σου).

[Shadin Pranto · Rating 2 out of 5]

বিশ শতকের অন্যতম সেরা রাজনৈতিক তাত্ত্বিক ও দার্শনিক হান্না আরেন্ড। এই জার্মান-আমেরিকান তাত্ত্বিকের কয়েকটি সাক্ষাৎকার নিয়েই এই নাতিদীর্ঘ সংকলন।

হান্না আরেন্ড এক মহীরূহের নাম। অন্তত গুগলে ঘাঁটাঘাঁটি করে এটা নিশ্চিত হওয়া গেছে। কর্তৃত্ববাদ নিয়ে রচিত ভদ্রমহিলার গ্রন্থখানা জগদ্বিখ্যাত। এই সাক্ষাৎকার নিয়ে উৎসুক ছিলাম। সত্যি বলতে পড়তে একদম ভালো লাগেনি। প্রাণহীন এবং ততোধিক নিরস কথোপকথন।

আরেন্ড জার্মান ইহুদি। হিটলারের আমলে প্রাণ বাঁচাতে পালিয়ে প্রথমে ফ্রান্স এবং পরে যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে আশ্রয় নেন। আলাপচারিতায় হিটলারের শাসনামলে ইহুদি নিধনের স্মৃতি স্মরণ করেছেন , ইহুদিদের গুপ্ত গোষ্ঠীর সদস্য ছিলেন হান্না আরেন্ড। প্যালেস্টাইনে ইহুদি বসতি স্থাপনে আরেন্ড প্রত্যক্ষভাবে যুক্ত ছিলেন৷ অনেক পরিবারকে উদ্ধার করে প্যালেস্টাইনে পাঠিয়েছেন। এভাবে ইসরাইল প্রতিষ্ঠায় নিজের ভূমিকা বর্ণনা করলেও প্রশ্নকর্তা অবৈধভাবে প্যালেস্টাইন দখল এবং প্যালেস্টাইনিদের দুঃখ-কষ্ট নিয়ে কোনো প্রশ্ন আরেন্ডকে করেননি। এত বড়ো তাত্ত্বিক আরেন্ড, অথচ নৈতিক বলে বলীয়ান নন৷ তাই তাঁর কথাবার্তা পছন্দসই লাগছিল না।

হিটলারের সহযোগী আইখম্যানের বিচার নিয়ে একটি সাক্ষাৎকার রয়েছে। আইখম্যান নিয়ে অত্যুৎসাহী না হলে এই সাক্ষাৎকার মনোযোগ কাড়বে না।

ষাটের দশকের উত্তাল ছাত্র আন্দোলনের ব্যবচ্ছেদ করার চেষ্টা করেছেন আরেন্ড। পুরো বইয়ের এই একটি আলাপ চলনসই।

রোবটের মতো প্রশ্ন করে যাওয়া কিংবা গুরুগম্ভীর ভঙ্গিতে উত্তর দেওয়া কোনো আলাপচারিতার সার্থক হতে পারে না। দু'জনের কথাপরম্পরায় এগিয়ে যাবে কথার ট্রেন, তাতেই পাঠকের আকর্ষণ সৃষ্টি হবে। কিন্তু এই বইতে তা হয়নি। সুতরাং, এটি একটি অপাঠ্য সাক্ষাৎকার গ্রন্থ।

[Melika · Rating 3 out of 5]

این کتاب شامل چهار گفت‌و‌گو بین آرنت و اشخاص مختلفی هست که در هر کدوم از این موارد موضوع متفاوتی بررسی شده... ترجمه اولین گفت‌وگو رو با کتاب آزادی آزاد بودن از نشر خوب مقایسه کردم و در اونجا میشه گفت حقیقتا خطاهای کمتری وجود داره.
مثلا در این کتاب جایی گونتر گاوس از آرنت میپرسه [جهان در دایره واژگان شما فضایی برای سیاست است؟ و بعد آرنت پاسخ می‌ده فضایی برای سیاست!!!]
به نظر میرسه فضایی برای سیاست نمیتونه معادل مناسبی برای عرصه عمومی و خود عمل میان انسان‌ها باشه...

[Bruce Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because her works on totalitarianism and the 'banality of evil' can be intimidating, I suspect many fear to open Arendt's work. If you want an easy introduction into how she thinks, this is your ticket. She covers a wide variety of topics, but, as she is speaking, doesn't get bogged down. Within an hour or two you can decide if you want to go deeper and open up her other works.
Here's one of my favorite lines: "… in politics, idealism is frequently no more than an excuse for not recognizing unpleasant realities."

[Washington Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah Adrendt's “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil” about Adolf Eichmann’s trial and conviction for serving, in her words, as “the most important conveyer belt” of Jews to the Nazi death camps, generated both widespread acclaim and vitriolic denunciations, especially from fellow Jews — many of whom ostracized her for the rest of her life.

Arendt was still caught in the controversies she had stirred up when she gave three interviews for German and French television and a fourth to a noted German journalist, all now available in the “The Last Interview.” While the primary focus is on her responses to her critics, her interviewers — who included German historian Joachim Fest and French legal scholar Roger Errera — also drew her out on her views about radical movements and government snooping during Watergate, among other issues that continue to reverberate today. All of which makes this slim volume an invaluable addition to our understanding of one of the most fascinating intellectual figures of the last century.

Andrew Nagorski reviewed the book for us: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinion...

[Leif · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good collection of interviews - "conversations" - with Arendt in her role as "political theorist" (and not philosopher, as the first interview makes plain!), but not one that stands alone or that would provide a good introduction to her work. Arendt comes across as spiky and aloof at times, predominantly liberal albeit with qualifications that might entice libertarian-minded folk her way, which is an odd thing to say but there I go. Conversations cover the reception of her books on Eichmann (which, just read it!) and the 1970 text On Violence, written at a time of student agitation and social change.

Fundamentally, I do think that reading a different Arendt volume would be a better experience. This one doesn't have much to offer someone new to her thinking, and at her own pace she is much better at elongating and deliberating over her ideas. Leave this one for completionists.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

These interviews with Arendt are interesting and somewhat disconnected vignettes. Arendt is undoubtedly brilliant, but also, somehow, (perhaps intentionally) off-putting and brash. I found her commentary around her Eichmann writings and the reactions to them most interesting, but certainly would have found them more revealing if read in tandem with her other work. I guess my point is that these interviews are not meant to be read as entities unto themselves. Perhaps I'll give some of them a reread next time I finish one of Arendt's own pieces.

[Ainsley Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always found Arendts thoughts on the natural conditions interesting. From The Origins of Totalitarianism, Arendt presents herself as a crucial “philsopher” of the 20th century, especially for me. Reading The Human Condition this past semester added so much to the connection of ideas I’ve thought about before regarding human experience, public nature of the modern world, the third world, and historical necessity.

Her stance of division between love and the natural conditions of community is interesting and I’d rather agree with the characterization of this as stirile. Particularly enjoyed later in interview three where the timely discussion on 60s university social movements is discussed. Feels extremely applicable and profound to recognize what university institutions conceives in student community and movements.

I find Arendt historical accounts and perspectives much less appealing than her social commentary. I would like to read Eichmann for sure after this and may revisit interview two after doing so.

“For me the question was somehow: I can either study philosophy or I can drown myself, so to speak.”

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this little volume of four Arendt interviews while in Oklahoma City last week. I continue to be impressed by Arendt's analysis and enjoy teaching her in my philosophy and ethics classes.

Among the interesting tidbits in this volume:

"A functionary, when he really is nothing more than a functionary, is really a very dangerous gentleman."

Her worry, in 1970, that the American working class was going to be attracted to nationalism.

That the student movements of the late 1960's had revealed the fun and joy of political action, what she called "public happiness." Also that the students acted with "the assurance of being able to change things by one's own efforts."

Her view that capitalism and socialism were both exploitative, even though the latter was created to solve that problem in the former.

The idea that she didn't consider herself a philosopher, but a political thinker.

She advocated a new form a government she called "the council system." People would be part of small councils working on a very local level--neighborhood, work, etc. The councils would discuss issues and make decisions. People who demonstrated strong capabilities would then represent the small councils at a higher level. In this system power would be horizontal, not vertical, and sovereignty and that nation state would vanish and be replaced by federations of councils.

This latter put me to mind of the congregational polity of the denominations I've been a part of and also what I valued about the Collegium model that the United Church of Christ had until last summer, which they unfortunately abandoned for a more corporate national structure.

[Lu Monteblanco · Rating 4 out of 5]

La obra contiene una selección de entrevistas esenciales para comprender el pensamiento de Arendt y a través de ellas repasar su experiencia vital y con su agudeza característica analizar los temas centrales de su obra: el totalitarismo, el juicio a Eichmann, la cuestión judía, los movimientos de protesta, la revolución, el lenguaje.
No había leído nada de la autora y fue una buena lectura para comenzar a compreenderla, y a su obra. Tiene pasajes deslumbrantes, es de una lucidez e inteligencia increíbles.

[Jeff Wyonch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The set of interviews collected here is a little lop-sided, and probably not showing Arendt at her best. While the book's narrow focus on her German upbringing, response to Nazism and the Holocaust, and the founding of Israel show how her thinking evolved near the end of her life, there is much less general philosophy or politics.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of interviews (including, you guessed it, her last one) read smoothly and was entertaining. I didn't find the contents of her interviews particularly mind blowing, but her final one did force me to reflect. All in all a fun read for those interested in her political and philosophical positions. I would not approach this without having read her other works.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. Has added to my understanding.

[Denisa Cîrstea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ce numim noi „stat" datează abia din secolele al XV-lea și al XVI-lea, la fel şi conceptul de suveranitate. Suveranitate înseamnă, printre altele, că în cele din urmă conflictele de ordin internaţional nu pot fi rezolvate decât prin război; alt mijloc nu există. Numai că azi - lăsând la o parte toate considerentele pacifiste – războiul între marile puteri a devenit o imposibilitate dacă luăm în considerare dezvoltarea monstruoasă a mijloacelor violente. Așa că se pune întrebarea: Ce va lua locul acestei ultime soluţii?
Războiul, ca să zic aşa, a devenit un "lux" pe care şi-l permit doar naţiunile mici, și asta cât timp nu sunt atrase în sferele de influenţă ale marilor puteri și nu posedă la rândul lor arme nucleare. Marile puteri intervin în aceste războaie, fiindcă, pe de o parte, sunt obligate să-și apere clienții, şi, pe de altă parte, implicarea lor aparţine strategiei de descurajare reciprocă pe care se bazează azi pacea în lume."

[Sevi Salagianni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο, αλλά μην έχοντας διαβάσει κάποια βιβλία της Χ. Άρεντ δυσκολεύτηκα να κατανοήσω κάποιες ερωτήσεις που διατυπώνονταν με αφορμή τα γραπτά της.

Το προτείνω σε όσους έχουν διαβάσει τη βιβλιογραφία της Άρεντ.

[Brownguy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book from the library but I wish I owned this book. So many good ideas in this little collection.

[Allyson]

This in and of itself was fine, but as an intro to hannah arendt (i had previously only read a short essay of hers during my freshman year of college) it works well.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a portion of Eichmann in Jerusalem for a class some years back and was very taken with Arendt at the time. After seeing the documentary Vita Activa this spring I felt the desire to explore her work more fully. I thought this interview collection would be a good starting point which could point me to ideas and works of Arendt's that I could subsequently investigate. Unfortunately these interviews did not perform this function for me, and they didn't really seem to have much of an organizing principle in general. The interviews included here were largely conducted for television, and I suppose that fact should have been my first warning about their nature: they're geared less toward particular intellectual depth than they are to probing Arendt's thoughts on political events of the 1970s and bringing up, again and again, the thesis of the banality of evil. If you're picking up a book on Arendt, this idea is probably close to hackneyed for you already (it doesn't take much). And if you *are* looking for an eloquent elaboration of that particular concept, Amos Elon's introduction to Eichmann is a far tighter, all-around superior choice. At any length, while I find the cover design of this series quite sexy, the content leaves something to be desired. One can almost hear Arendt's heavily-accented borderline-dismissiveness as she is asked again and again about the controversy her book stirred in the Jewish community. If she's that bored, there is a chance you will be, too.

[Simon Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect little book for fans of Hannah Arendt and quite a good introduction to her thought for those who don't know her. The questions often ask her to be simpler than she is normally - and this is good. In particular I loved her description of the Terrible twins of the Twentieth Century:

"Collective ownership is, if you reflect a second, a contradiction in terms. Property is what belongs to me; ownership relates to what is my own by definition. Other people’s means of production should not, of course, belong to me; they might perhaps be controlled by a third authority, which means they belong to no one. The worst possible owner would be the government, unless its powers in this economic sphere are strictly controlled and checked by a truly independent judiciary. Our problem today is not how to expropriate the expropriators, but, rather, how to arrange matters so that the masses, dispossessed by industrial society in capitalist and socialist systems, can regain property. For this reason alone, the alternative between capitalism and socialism is false - not only because neither exists anywhere in its pure state anyhow, but because we have here twins, each wearing a different hat."

Wee worth finding.

[Jaime]

I struggled with many sections of this -- both with the interviewers and with Arendt herself. There are sections where Arendt is very dismissive of the oppressive nature of gender roles and seems remarkably un-reflective about race relations. I think, in fairness, a lot of my struggle reaction comes from the likely absurd expectations I have of her. I view Arendt, I think rightly, as a towering intellectual of the 20th century, and it's hard to see areas her mind didn't pursue with rigor.

(General shout out here to Michelle Dean's book Sharp, which includes Arendt in a coterie of critics who also happened to be women, and what that meant, and what we might learn.)

"Our problem today is not how to expropriate the expropriators, but, rather, how to arrange matters so that the masses, dispossessed by industrial society in capitalist and socialist systems, can regain property. For this reason alone, the alternative between capitalism and socialism is false - not only because neither exists anywhere in its pure state anyhow, but because we have here twins, each wearing a different hat." p 83

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been interested in Hannah Arendt's views for quite a long time so when I found this book of interviews in my city libraries ebook section, I had to check it out! She speaks candidly about her experience in Nazi occupied Europe. Very Admirable! I would be interested in anything else I could find about her or written by her!

[Peter Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/review/R3D97TFW...

[Tom Allman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent companion to her public works!

[Billie Pritchett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty clear portrait of Hannah Arendt as a political thinker as revealed through several interviews with her, particularly about her major works and the events of the 1960s and 1970s, the eras in which these interviews took place. Certainly Arendt has left an indelible mark on the zeitgeist. She coined the phrase "the banality of evil" to describe the ordinary everyday evil committed by political bureaucrats as emblematized, she argued in Eichmann in Jerusalem, by Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann. She also coined the term "totalitarianism" to describe a new kind of totalizing form of dictatorial government as evidenced by Stalinism, Nazism, Fascism. What was newest to me among this set of interviews was her reflections upon the United States. She says the United States is not a nation-state proper, because a nation-state, by her definition, ties an ethnic group to state (Italian, Irish, Swedish, etc.) but America was conceived as a country where citizens need only be recognized as citizens by their implicit commitment to the American Constitution, a constitution sacralized as with no other country elsewhere. Arendt conceives of America as a country founded upon by the rule of law with republican values which seek to curb the encroachment on any given minority group or opinion. Whether or not you agree with Arendt's conception, it is interesting to learn this is in fact her conception and that she sees something very unique in the American political system.

[Manuela Vasiliu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Această colecție de interviuri este o fereastră directă către mintea lucidă, neiertătoare și fascinant de umană a Hannei Arendt. În paginile sale, se simte clar cât de mult Arendt refuza clișeele și explicațiile comode. Discuțiile ating teme grele precum răul și banalitatea lui, Kant și sensul datoriei, natura statului modern, războiul, identitatea evreiască și relația cu Israelul.
Am fost impresionată de felul în care reușește să combine filosofia cu observația concretă, trecând fără efort de la marile concepte morale la exemple istorice sau personale.
Pentru mine, cea mai puternică parte a cărții a fost modul în care Arendt vorbește despre pericolul supunerii oarbe și despre cum conceptele filosofice pot fi distorsionate pentru a justifica atrocități. În același timp, oferă o perspectivă realistă și lipsită de sentimentalism asupra politicului și a condiției umane.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a satisfying and wholesome collection of interviews, but it seems like a good starting point. Some of the topics touched upon are the definition of totalitarianism, the state (Arendt envisions a solution of sorts, which she calls the council-state), the French and American Revolutions, Arendt's background and Jewishness, political philosophy, Eichmann (and here she expands on the oft-quoted and misunderstood "banality of evil" remark). Recommended for anyone entirely unfamiliar with her writings or thought.

[Karuseliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

M au surprins punctele de vedere diferite ale celor care intervievează. Hannah Arendt își păstrează insă esență ideilor peste timp. M a surprins plăcut și vizionarismul sau, dar și faptul că multe dintre ideile împărtășite sunt inca valabile și actuale.

"Cred că singurul lucru care ne poate ajuta este reflechir. Și a reflecta înseamnă totdeauna să gândești critic. Iar a gândi critic înseamnă totdeauna a fi ostil. Fiecare gând subminează, de fapt, regulile rigide, convingerile generale etc."

[Gabriela Mateescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty boring. She lacked the critical thinking to say something about Zionism and was pretty conservative in opinions, surprisingly. Of course, her fighting against Nazism and her books mean something in today`s history of politics and philosophy, but her way of seeing the world in these interviews is pretty flat.

[Kyle Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not so much a book but rather transcripts from her interviews. However, Arendt forms ideas in speech about as well as she does in writing and so this book has a lot to offer if you are interested in political theory especially of Nazi Germany, Soviet Bloc Countries, the US in the 1960's, etc.