I give you:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1101980966?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Great book, bad title: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America
It's impossible to pick a starting point, but I'll go with school desegregation.
Core Premise: The book traces the origins and evolution of "public choice theory," an economic school of thought founded by Nobel laureate James M. Buchanan. The author MacLean argues that Buchanan and his libertarian allies believed unfettered majority rule poses a threat to corporate and economic liberties. The central thesis claims that the radical right developed a calculated, long-term strategy to "shackle" or limit democratic governance so that capitalist interests could thrive without broad public interference.
Key Themes and Tactics:
Privatization: The book links public choice ideas to historical efforts to privatize public goods, starting with the resistance to school desegregation in Prince Edward County, Virginia, in the late 1950s
Billionaire Influence: It details how wealthy financiers, notably billionaire Charles Koch, funded academic centers, think tanks, and policy networks to put Buchanan's framework into political practice.
Structural Changes: MacLean highlights efforts to weaken labor unions, restrict voting access, implement aggressive gerrymandering, and pursue constitutional changes designed to permanently bind government spending and regulation.
Capitalism vs. Democracy: MacLean argues that Buchanan believed unfettered capitalism requires limits on popular democracy to protect wealth.
Stealth Strategy: The book claims the radical right uses covert tactics to privatize public goods, weaken labor unions, and restrict voting rights.