Person
Every book Shujaat Wasty recommended on podcasts
Shujaat Wasty appeared on The Ezra Klein Show to discuss the trajectory of political ideologies and economic history, highlighting several influential texts that illuminate how major policy shifts occur. During the conversation, Wasty recommended Kim Phillips-Fein's Invisible Hands, noting that the book details the long-term, forty-year push and ideological planning behind neoliberalism following the New Deal era. He also highlighted Mark R. Wilson's Destructive Creation, praising it as an exceptionally detailed examination of the industrial mobilization required during World War II. In addition, Wasty recommended Ha-Joon Chang's Bad Samaritans to illustrate the historical methods through which developed nations entered mission mode to successfully build and grow their domestic economies. Finally, he pointed to Jonathan Alter's The Defining Moment as a vital study of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first hundred days in office, emphasizing how the book portrays FDR's unique leadership style and his ability to achieve massive political aims without relying heavily on legislation. Through these recommendations, Wasty provided historical context for modern political debates, analyzing state power, economic intervention, and ideological persistence across different eras of governance and crisis.
Books recommended by Shujaat Wasty
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Bad Samaritans
Bad Samaritans by Ha-Joon Chang is a provocative and well-researched critique of conventional globalization and free-market orthodoxy, arguing that wealthy nations often deploy hypocritical economic policies that hinder rather than help developing countries.
Recommended“second book I'd say is probably the second bad Samaritans by Hajun Chang, which tells the story of how a bunch of developed countries managed to go into mission mode and and develop their countries.”
Where to get it
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Destructive Creation
Destructive Creation by Mark R.
Recommended“I'll say, uh, destructive creation by Mark Wilson. was probably the most detailed book I've read about the actual mobilization during World War II.”
Where to get it
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Invisible Hands
Invisible Hands by Kim Phillips-Fein is a historical account of how business conservatives and corporate executives organized over several decades to dismantle the New Deal order and promote free-market ideology.
Recommended“The major part of the story is, you know, after the New Deal, and there's a great book called Invisible Hands by Kim Phillips Fine, which she really details the the push of that ideology over 40 years, a long-term plan.”
Where to get it
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The Defining Moment
The Defining Moment by Jonathan Alter is a detailed historical narrative that examines President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first one hundred days in office, capturing the immense political, social, and economic turmoil of the Great Depression and the birth of the New Deal.
Recommended“And uh, the third I'd say is probably the defining moment by Jonathan Alter. It's about FDR's first 100 days and really paints a picture of his style of leadership and how he was able to do so much without legislation.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Visions of Where Democrats Went Wrong | The Ezra Klein Show | The Ezra Klein Show | 2025-04-29 | 4 |