Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?How did Britain’s economy become a bastion of inequality? In this landmark book, the author of The New Enclosure provides a forensic examination and sweeping critique of early-twenty-first-century capitalism. Brett Christophers styles this as ‘rentier capitalism’, in which ownership of key types of scarce assets—such as land, intellectual property, natural resources, or digital platforms—is all-important and dominated by a few unfathomably wealthy companies and individuals: rentiers. If a small elite owns today’s economy, everybody else foots the bill. Nowhere is this divergence starker, Christophers shows, than in the United Kingdom, where the prototypical ills of rentier capitalism—vast inequalities combined with entrenched economic stagnation—are on full display and have led the country inexorably to the precipice of Brexit. With profound lessons for other countries subject to rentier dominance, Christophers’ examination of the UK case is indispensable to those wanting not just to understand this insidious economic phenomenon but to overcome it. Frequently invoked but never previously analysed and illuminated in all its depth and variety, rentier capitalism is here laid bare for the first time. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It? Brett Chistophers Limited preview - 2020 |
Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It? Brett Christophers Limited preview - 2022 |
Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It? Brett Chistophers Limited preview - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
accounts activities assets authorities banks become billion Britain British capital cent changes Chapter Commons companies competition contract corporate costs countries course decades earned economy effectively estimated example existing fact Figure gains Group growth households housing important income increased individual industry inequality infrastructure institutions Intellectual Property interest investment labour land largely latter least less levels London London Stock Exchange major March monopoly natural neoliberal noted Office operating outsourcing owners ownership patent pdf available period platform political production profits protection public sector question rates reason recent regulators remains rent rental rentier represents Royal Mail sector seen share significant social Source specifically tion trade types UK's wealth workers
Bibliographic information
| Title | Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It? |
| Author | Brett Christophers |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Verso Books, 2020 |
| ISBN | 1788739728, 9781788739726 |
| Length | 512 pages |
| Subjects | › Political Science / Commentary & Opinion Political Science / History & Theory Political Science / Political Economy |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |