YouGottaKnow Non-FictionKyle Moynahan

The Prince (1513)

Written by Niccoló Machiavelli

Laid out the guidelines by which a leader should rule

Is the source of the term “Machiavellian”

“ends justify the means”

The Social Contract (1762)

Written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Helped inspire political reform in Europe, especially France

People governing themselves, not a monarchy deciding for them

Vedas (1500 to 1000 BC)

Ancient Indian texts

Written in Vedic Sanskrit

Considered by Hindus to be not from humans, authorless

There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, and the Atharvaveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda

The Wealth of Nations (1776)

Written by Adam Smith

One of the first collections on what builds a nation’s wealth

Touches on division of labor, productivity, and free markets

Principia Mathematica (1667)

Written by Isaac Newton

A revolutionary physics book containing Newton’s work

Contained his laws of motion and universal law of gravitation

The Communist Manifesto (1848)

Written by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels

Analyses the class struggle in society

Suggests that capitalism will be replaced by socialism, then communism

Utilitarianism (1863)

Written by John Stuart

Defends the idea of Utilitarianism

One should act in a way that gives him the most happiness without interfering with someone else’s happiness