I have maintained over a period of roughly two decades that capital buys power to make policy with a view to its further accumulation, and that it has shown a greatly enhanced return under post-1970s financialised capitalism. Expanding on this formula, I have argued: (a) that the UK is now characterised by a new ‘class/command… Read More »
The headline from the Sunday Times Rich List 2019 concerns the likelihood of the super-rich leaving the UK en masse (if that isn’t a contradiction in terms) if ever Corbyn, ‘an ardent Marxist’, were to be elected PM. Its editorial too defines this possible migration as constituting a significant ‘loss’ to the UK. Apparently the… Read More »
There now exist four major accountancy/auditing firms in the UK. Until the late 20th century the market was dominated by eight networks, but this gradually coalesced due to mergers and the 2002 collpase of one firm (following its involvement in the Enron scandal) into the ‘big four’ in the 21st century. The big four now… Read More »
Since the putative decline in the (party-)political significance of aristocratic land ownership, attention to who owns what land has faded. But it is now resurfacing, and the targets still include, but now extend far beyond, aristocratic estates and the grouse shooting season. Recent headlines have noted that half of England is now owned by less… Read More »
Oxfam’s latest report exposes and estimates the extent to which the world’s wealth is becoming ever more concentrated. I draw below on Larry Elliott’s summary (Guardian 21 Jan 2019). The figures are truly astounding, even allowing for a public sense of data-fatigue around the assets of the super-rich. The 26 richest billionaires now own as… Read More »
The whole point of writing of ‘greedy bastards’ was to expose the social structures – above all those of social class – that major owners of capital surf, and with the help of (a) the politicians and state personnel they purchase, and (b) an assortment of old and middle-class allies that facilitate their endeavours, to… Read More »
Philip Green is almost too obviously a greedy bastard, even perhaps an exemplar of the ideal type. He presents as a warts-and-all stereotype (for all that all stereotypes have their errors of omission and commission), and there are many otherwise inclined to baulk at my use of ‘greedy bastards’ as a technical term who would… Read More »
In case a reminder is needed, my phrase ‘greedy bastards’ refers neither to a propensity to become obese nor to a readiness to pull the wings off butterflies or mug older and vulnerable citizens. Rather, it denotes the surfing, reflexive or otherwise, of a subset of social structures to one’s personal advantage. Chief among this… Read More »
I’d best open this likely ‘series’ with a word about the technical term ‘greedy bastards’. These comprise that subset of exceptionally wealthy accumulators of capital intent on further accumulation via donating, sponsoring, lobbying and otherwise cajoling favourable policymaking by the state’s power elite. The adjective ‘greed’ captures their all-consuming focus on personal wealth and influence… Read More »