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Start with The Cash Nexus and continue through all 6 books in the listed reading order.

6 books
Published 2001 to 2017
Status: Likely complete

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The Cash Nexus

Start with The Cash Nexus

Book 1 by Niall Ferguson • Published 2001

Ferguson explores the tangled connections between money and power from 1700 to 2000, arguing that wars, taxes, and public debt have shaped modern states more than simple market forces, and challenging the cliché that...

Complete List

Government reading order

Ends with Is This the End of the Liberal International Order?

  1. 1
    The Cash Nexus

    Book 1:The Cash Nexus

    Niall Ferguson • 2001

    Ferguson explores the tangled connections between money and power from 1700 to 2000, arguing that wars, taxes, and public debt have shaped modern states more than simple market forces, and challenging the cliché that...

  2. 2
    Colossus

    Book 2:Colossus

    Niall Ferguson • 2004

    A provocative study of the United States as an informal empire, Colossus weighs America's military strength and cultural reach against its fiscal, manpower, and attention deficits, asking whether it can sustain far fl...

  3. 3
    Does the 21st Century Belong to China?

    Book 3:Does the 21st Century Belong to China?

    Niall Ferguson • 2011

    Based on a live public debate, this short book pits Ferguson and economist David Daokui Li against Henry Kissinger and Fareed Zakaria to probe whether China's rise will define the twenty first century or be checked by...

  4. 4
    The Great Degeneration

    Book 4:The Great Degeneration

    Niall Ferguson • 2012

    In this extended essay Ferguson argues that Western democracies are suffering institutional decline, from over regulated markets to overburdened welfare states and weakened civil society, and he sketches reforms he be...

  5. 5
    The Square and the Tower

    Book 5:The Square and the Tower

    Niall Ferguson • 2017 • 1 recommendation

    Using examples from Renaissance Italy to Silicon Valley, Ferguson contrasts informal networks in the square with formal hierarchies in the tower, showing how social connections, secret societies, and digital platforms...

  6. 6
    Is This the End of the Liberal International Order?

    Book 6:Is This the End of the Liberal International Order?

    Niall Ferguson • 2017

    Presenting a debate between Ferguson and Fareed Zakaria, this book asks whether the post 1945 system of open trade, alliances, and multilateral rules is truly in crisis, weighing rising nationalism and great power riv...

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Government FAQ

What is the best order to read the Government series?

The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with The Cash Nexus.

How many books are in the Government series?

There are 6 books currently listed in the Government series on GurusReads.

Where should I start with the Government series?

New readers should start with The Cash Nexus, the first book in the reading order.

Is the Government series complete?

Based on the publication years we have, the series appears likely complete and spans releases from 2001 to 2017.