100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

The Vision of the Anointed

Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy
4.4 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 3,346 ratings, 331 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell critiques the self-congratulatory attitudes of politically and socially "anointed" elites. Sowell argues that these elites impose their visions on society, often ignoring evidence and criticism. The book delves into the consequences of these perspectives on policy and public opinion.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3999
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate a critical analysis of social policies and the ideological divide in politics. Thomas Sowell presents thought-provoking arguments on how certain policies, crafted by the so-called elites, impact society. This book is ideal for those interested in examining the intentions versus the outcomes of political decisions.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Sowell presents a devastating critique of the mind-set behind the failed social policies of the past thirty years. Sowell sees what has happened during that time not as a series of isolated mistakes b

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell delivers an incisive analysis of the prevailing ideologies that have shaped public policy over the last several decades. Through meticulous examination, Sowell challenges the entrenched beliefs that have guided key decisions in education, crime, family dynamics, and other areas of social concern. He posits that these policies are not merely a series of isolated errors but stem from a fundamental visionβ€”a vision he critically dissects in this compelling work.

In his critique, Sowell identifies how self-proclaimed elitesβ€”the "anointed"β€”have imposed their views on society, often prioritising ideological rhetoric over empirical evidence. He argues that these elites have replaced facts and rational decision-making with sweeping assertions, significantly impacting the direction of social policies and contributing to a range of societal problems.

Sowell systematically explores the consequences of these flawed policies, revealing how the missteps are interconnected and stem from the same misguided vision. He brings to light the persistent crises in education, the alarming rise of crime rates, the deterioration of family structures, and other disturbing trends that he attributes to the so-called "anointed" class's influence.

Through well-supported arguments and a wealth of evidence, Sowell demonstrates how these social pathologies are logical outcomes of the tainted vision he critiques. His compelling narrative calls for a return to evidence-based policymaking and a re-evaluation of the principles that underpin contemporary social policy.

The Vision of the Anointed is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the deep-rooted ideological battles that shape our society. Sowell's sharp insights and unwavering commitment to truth make this book a vital resource for policymakers, scholars, and concerned citizens alike.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell receives praise for its informed analysis, common sense, and critique of ideological constructs, noting the dangers of ignoring reality for utopian dreams. Conservatives view Sowell as an intellectual force, and the book offers a sharp critique of progressive orthodoxy, resonating particularly with those opposed to liberal viewpoints.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780465089956

Publisher: Basic Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 June 1996

Country: United States

Imprint: Basic Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 202.0mm

Weight: 268g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Thomas Sowell has taught economics at a number of colleges and universities, including Cornell, University of California Los Angeles, and Amherst. He has published both scholarly and popular articles and books on economics, and is currently a scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Also by Thomas Sowell

View all
  • Social Justice Fallacies
    The quest for social justice is a powerful crusade of our time, with an appeal to many different people, for many different reasons. But those who use the same words do not always present the same meanings. Clarifying those meanings is the first step toward finding out what we agree on and disagree on. From there, it is largely a...
    Hardback
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Wealth, Poverty and Politics
    In Wealth, Poverty, and Politics, Dr. Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, examines the reasons for large differences in income and wealth between nations and among groups within nations. A wide range of geographic, demographic, cultural, and political factors are examined, not to find a single factor or a single combination of factors that will explain all economic...
    Hardback
    $8800
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Discrimination and Disparities
    Economic and other outcomes differ vastly among individuals, groups, and nations. Many explanations have been offered for the differences. Some believe that those with less fortunate outcomes are victims of genetics. Others believe that those who are less fortunate are victims of the more fortunate. Discrimination and Disparities gathers a wide array of empirical evidence to challenge the idea that...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Affirmative Action Around the World
    In this important book, an eminent authority presents a new perspective on affirmative action, investigating its actual consequences in the United States and in other countries where it has been in effect. Evaluating his empirical data, Thomas Sowell concludes that race preference programmes worldwide have not met expectations and have often produced the opposite of what was originally intended. A...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Einstein Syndrome
    "I have found The Einstein Syndrome filled with insight, acute observations, and fertile ideas... This is an invaluable contribution to human knowledge by one of the great minds of our time." β€” Steven Pinker, author of How the Mind Works. The Einstein Syndrome is a follow-up to Late-Talking Children, which established Thomas Sowell as a leading spokesman on the subject....
    Paperback
    $7100
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Black Rednecks & White Liberals
    This explosive new book challenges many of the long-prevailing assumptions about blacks, about Jews, about Germans, about slavery, and about education. Plainly written, powerfully reasoned, and backed with a startling array of documented facts, Black Rednecks & White Liberals takes on not only the trendy intellectuals of our times but also such historic interpreters of American life as Alexis de...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • On Classical Economics
    A reexamination of classical economic theory and methods, by a senior economist of international stature Thomas Sowell's many writings on the history of economic thought have appeared in a number of scholarly journals and books, and these writings have been praised, reprinted, and translated in various countries around the world. The classical era in the history of economics is an...
    Paperback
    $4499
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Basic Economics
    In this fifth edition of Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell revises and updates his popular book on common sense economics, bringing the world into clearer focus through a basic understanding of the fundamental economic principles and how they explain our lives. Drawing on lively examples from around the world and from centuries of history, Sowell explains basic economic principles for the...
    Hardback
    $8000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Man of Letters
    Man of Letters traces the life, career, and commentaries on controversial issues of Thomas Sowell over a period of more than four decades through his letters to and from family, friends, and public figures ranging from Milton Friedman to Clarence Thomas, David Riesman, Arthur Ashe, William Proxmire, Vernon Jordan, Charles Murray, Shelby Steele, and Condoleezza Rice. These letters begin with...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Politics & Current Affairs

View all
  • New Release
    One Last Question, Prime Minister
    From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Regime Change
    From the two reporters who have covered him more closely than perhaps anyone else over the past decade comes this definitive portrait of Donald Trump in the White House and the first year of his second presidency. Based on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented reporting from deep within the administration’s most closely guarded rooms, Regime Change takes the reader into...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Different Kind of Power
    #1 New Zealand bestseller #1 Amazon bestseller #2 Audible bestseller #3 New York Times bestseller #3 Sunday Times bestseller #4 Australian bestseller From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Different Kind of Power
    Ockham Winner
    A Different Kind of Power
    What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer in small-town New Zealand, but as the 40th Prime Minister of her country, she commanded global respect for her empathetic leadership that put people first. This is the remarkable story of how a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt made...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $5999
    (7)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    Go Hard or Go Home
    From the front bench to rock bottom:Β Go Hard or Go HomeΒ is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Pre-order
    Out 4 Aug 2026
  • New Release
    Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World
    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shameless, Brian Tyler Cohen explores how Republicans have abused power, how Democrats have refused to exercise power when they held it, and how progressives should wield power if they are fortunate enough to win a free and fair election in a post-Trump world. The Day After: How to Wield Power in...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Careless People
    Shocking and darkly funny, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to the decisions that are shaping our world and the people who make them. Welcome to Facebook. Sarah Wynn-Williams, a young diplomat from New Zealand, pitched for her dream job. She saw Facebook's potential and knew it could change the world for the better. But, when she got there...
    Paperback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Discipline
    Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...
    Paperback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Shattered Lands
    'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' – PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation … both original and important' – MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Handmaid's Tale
    The bestselling dystopian classic that became a cultural phenomenon and inspired an award-winning TV series. THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series. 'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it.' Guardian I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • This Way Up
    The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men! In their long-awaited debut, YouTube’s Map Men bring their highly infectious enthusiasm for everything map-related to the printed page for the very first time, in a brilliantly entertaining and eye-catching tome. Packed with humour and fascinating facts, This Way Up takes a deep dive into the...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.