Eli Berman’s “Radical Religious and Violent”, a book which asks why there are so few successful terrorist organisations. Berman argues that the risk of defection is a key constraint on terrorist groups – a single defector can be very damaging – and that groups which provide social services and demand sacrifices can command more loyalty. I’m only 50 pages in. It’s fascinating.
Also Stafford Beer, “The Brain of the Firm”, having been switched on by this post on Marginal Revolution about Stafford Beer and the Allende government in Chile. Gosh it’s an odd book. I am trying to work out whether the failing is mine or Stafford Beer’s.
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