Stephen William "Billy’ Bragg" is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that span political or romantic themes. His music is heavily centered on bringing about change and getting the younger generation involved in grass-roots activist causes. His book Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World was a bestseller in 2016.Bragg's new book is The Three Dimensions of Freedom.
At the Guardian he tagged five books about holding power to account, including:
By breaking the power of the crown to grant economic monopolies, the English were able to establish a political system more responsive to the aspirations of business, which led in turn to the industrial revolution taking off in Britain earlier than in nations that continued to be ruled by absolute monarchs. This process is analysed in Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson, in which the authors argue that successful countries require accountable institutions that practise transparency and probity.Read about the other entries on the list.
--Marshal Zeringue
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