Why We Can't Afford the Rich - Softcover

Sayer, Andrew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447320867 ISBN 13: 9781447320869

Publisher: Policy Press, 2015

Synopsis

As inequalities widen and the effects of austerity deepen, in many countries the wealth of the rich has soared. Why we can t afford the rich exposes the unjust and dysfunctional mechanisms that allow the top 1% to siphon off wealth produced by others, through the control of property and money. Leading social scientist Andrew Sayer shows how over the last three decades the rich worldwide have increased their ability to hide their wealth, create indebtedness and expand their political influence. Winner of the 2015 Peter Townsend Prize, this important book uses simple distinctions to burst the myth of the rich as specially talented wealth creators. Furthermore, as the risk of runaway climate change grows, it shows how the rich are threatening the planet by banking on unsustainable growth. The paperback includes a new Afterword updating developments in the last year and forcefully arguing that the crises of economy and climate can only be resolved by radical change to make economies sustainable, fair and conducive to well-being for all.

About this title

Review:

"Sayer proceeds with arguments that are internally coherent and does not invent economic mechanisms in the way that populists often do, never forgetting that cake-making must come before cake distribution." The Times Literary Supplement.

"Sayer does an impressive job of bringing home to the reader the scale of the threat capitalism now poses to humanity. As an introduction to critical political economy, the book is one of the best available." Counterfire.

"Adds to the growing body of work that challenges mainstream economic thinking and traditional self-justifications for inequality." New Left Project.

"Sayer puts forth a cogent and thoroughly convincing argument that will enlighten and inform—and may even help instigate the radical changes he puts forth." Publishers Weekly.

"A refreshing antidote to a public discourse that has allowed the perpetrators of the financial crisis to make massive gains, while the full burden of costs falls on those innocent of its causes. A must-read for all those who want to reverse that injustice and a wake-up call for the rich." Ann Pettifor, Director, Prime: Policy research in macroeconomics.

“Unmatched in persuasive argument and compelling illustrations, Andrew Sayer shows how the rich and the super-rich are destroying not just the economy but the planet too. Everyone should read Why we can’t afford the rich and spread the word.” Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley.

"Cuts through the hype so often used to defend growing inequality and gets to the core of the problem, with suggestions about where solutions may come from." Danny Dorling, University of Oxford.

"Packed with useful information and insights, this is a useful complement to Thomas Pikkety’s Capital in the Twenty First Century, and makes a serious challenge to the many claims propagated by rich people and their minions." Tax Justice Network.

"A timely and insightful guide to how the rich managed top shape a language and political agenda that suited their purposes just perfectly." Tax Justice Focus.

"Sayer shows compellingly...just how much tolerating grand accumulations of private wealth is costing us." Too Much.

"Why We Can't Afford the Rich presents a nuanced, well-formed vision, which speaks from the perspective of a moral economy." Marx & Philosophy Review of Books.

"This timely and important book exposes the pernicious influence of the super rich on our economic and social fabric. It underlines the need for radical action to redistribute wealth, rebalance our economy and tackle inequality. A must read for politicians and policymakers alike" Frances O'Grady, TUC General Secretary.

"Sayer's penetrating analysis of asset-based unearned income is a powerful case for socialism, supporting as he does land nationalisation and the creation of banks with the remit to lend for productive investment in ethical and environmentally sustainable business." Morning Star.

About the Author:

Andrew Sayer is Professor of Social Theory and Political Economy at Lancaster University, UK. He has a long-standing interest in moral economy and has written several books on political economy, inequality, class, and philosophy and ethics, including Radical Political Economy: A Critique; The Moral Significance of Clas; Why Things Matter to People: Social Science, Values and Ethical Life.

About this edition

• Publisher: Policy Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1447320867
• ISBN 13: 9781447320869
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 448