In the main, the stories that make up Within the System are overtly political. That is to say that to a greater or lesser extent, their plots are concerned with the awful contradictions of the capitalist system.

That said, however, the stories themselves must measure up to the criteria demanded of good short stories.

In this collection, the reader will find history, economics and politics all woven into situations that are engaging, dramatic and humorous. All the stories are set at some level "within the system", the system which, whether we like it or not, dominates the lives of all of us.

Only the final story, "Contrasts", is "outside" the system and it attempts to depict a world where much of the content of other stories could not exist.

I believe that the reader will find the stories interesting, hopefully, both amusing and entertaining. Additionally, as a passionate democrat, I would hope that the stories may provoke some critical analysis on the part of the reader - because democracy can become an instrument of real social freedom only when it is complemented with knowledge.

BOOK REVIEW

Richard Montague is well known as a contributor to the Socialist Standard on both events in Ireland and the wider case against capitalism and for socialism. Now a collection of 24 of his short stories has been published. The author believes that the creative arts, including short story writing have, have an important role in exposing the grim reality of global capitalism. Few socialists would disagree.

The last story, 'Contrasts', is the only one outside, rather than within the system. It describes a radio broadcast by a historian on 3 June 2077. The Revolution - free access democracy - had swept across the entire planet in 2046. Elections, one spurring the other, brought down the entire world capitalist political structures like a vast domino trail. The old system was considerably modified in the period preceding the Revolution. The capitalists themselves became frenetic reformers as they tried to hold off their own downfall. "The new way of life entailed a great 'openness' between people that was utterly alien within capitalism . . . What was a fragmented, vicious and secretive world of internecine greed and strife became a ...a family, a human family of equals."

In a national election Canadians are drowned in survey data. There is a constant torrent of "horserace" news stories on parties and candidates based on incessant surveys.

Is the Canadian citizen supposed to treat all polls as equivalent and accept the findings and the news media interpretations? This book is written to develop a more critical view of polls or surveys used during a federal election campaign.

It deals with problems inherent in surveys and examines polls in the elections of 2004 and 2006,the Canadian Elections Act, random sampling, the margin of error and how to evaluate future polls.

Through the Eyes of a Concerned Liberal argues that the socio-political position of liberalism is the only one that can get us back on course toward the now-vanishing "enlightenment ideal". This was the vision of the "founding fathers," looking to a time when all of the conditions of life--social, political, moral, and intellectual, as well as material--would be realized for everyone--the "American dream."

Taking a hard look at the present social-political situation in North America, Dr. Zeigler offers a self-evaluation test for the reader to determine his/her socio-political=political stance on a spectrum (from far right to far left). (Other "tests" serve to evaluate, respectively, both one's philosophy of life and/or religion and recreational quotient "RQ".) The United States, the author asserts, simply does not appreciate that its current "imperial" status will be sorely tried in the 21st century.

The U.S.A. must now prove that its brand of capitalism and democracy, one that purports to offer a maximum of individual freedom within a democratic political system, is the best approach for the entire world to emulate. However, capitalism and ecology have become social forces on a collision course in this evolving cultural matrix. The individual citizen in this setting must be fully informed and must serve actively and responsibly to implement a liberal agenda.

The author offers 49 short essays, columns, and self evaluation devices that reflect his position. In the final analysis, each person should choose a life purpose based on (1) a comprehensive philosophy of life, (2) a concurring, socio-political stance, and (3) a search for "the good life" in a hopefully free society.

Through the Eyes of a Concerned Liberal argues that the socio-political position of liberalism is the only one that can get us back on course toward the now-vanishing "enlightenment ideal". This was the vision of the "founding fathers," looking to a time when all of the conditions of life--social, political, moral, and intellectual, as well as material--would be realized for everyone--the "American dream."

Taking a hard look at the present social-political situation in North America, Dr. Zeigler offers a self-evaluation test for the reader to determine his/her socio-political=political stance on a spectrum (from far right to far left). (Other "tests" serve to evaluate, respectively, both one's philosophy of life and/or religion and recreational quotient "RQ".) The United States, the author asserts, simply does not appreciate that its current "imperial" status will be sorely tried in the 21st century.

The U.S.A. must now prove that its brand of capitalism and democracy, one that purports to offer a maximum of individual freedom within a democratic political system, is the best approach for the entire world to emulate. However, capitalism and ecology have become social forces on a collision course in this evolving cultural matrix. The individual citizen in this setting must be fully informed and must serve actively and responsibly to implement a liberal agenda.

The author offers 49 short essays, columns, and self evaluation devices that reflect his position. In the final analysis, each person should choose a life purpose based on (1) a comprehensive philosophy of life, (2) a concurring, socio-political stance, and (3) a search for "the good life" in a hopefully free society.

In the main, the stories that make up Within the System are overtly political. That is to say that to a greater or lesser extent, their plots are concerned with the awful contradictions of the capitalist system.

That said, however, the stories themselves must measure up to the criteria demanded of good short stories.

In this collection, the reader will find history, economics and politics all woven into situations that are engaging, dramatic and humorous. All the stories are set at some level "within the system", the system which, whether we like it or not, dominates the lives of all of us.

Only the final story, "Contrasts", is "outside" the system and it attempts to depict a world where much of the content of other stories could not exist.

I believe that the reader will find the stories interesting, hopefully, both amusing and entertaining. Additionally, as a passionate democrat, I would hope that the stories may provoke some critical analysis on the part of the reader - because democracy can become an instrument of real social freedom only when it is complemented with knowledge.

BOOK REVIEW

Richard Montague is well known as a contributor to the Socialist Standard on both events in Ireland and the wider case against capitalism and for socialism. Now a collection of 24 of his short stories has been published. The author believes that the creative arts, including short story writing have, have an important role in exposing the grim reality of global capitalism. Few socialists would disagree.

The last story, 'Contrasts', is the only one outside, rather than within the system. It describes a radio broadcast by a historian on 3 June 2077. The Revolution - free access democracy - had swept across the entire planet in 2046. Elections, one spurring the other, brought down the entire world capitalist political structures like a vast domino trail. The old system was considerably modified in the period preceding the Revolution. The capitalists themselves became frenetic reformers as they tried to hold off their own downfall. "The new way of life entailed a great 'openness' between people that was utterly alien within capitalism . . . What was a fragmented, vicious and secretive world of internecine greed and strife became a ...a family, a human family of equals."