Vulture Capitalism

Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts, and the Death of Freedom

By: Grace Blakeley

Narrated by: Grace Blakeley

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vein of The Shock Doctrine and Evil Geniuses, this timely and “galvanizing” (Naomi Klein, New York Times bestselling author) manifesto illustrates how corporate and political power brokers have used capitalism to advance their own interests at the expense of the rest of us—and how we can take back our economy.

It’s easy to look at the state of the world around us and feel hopeless. We live in an era marked by war, climate crisis, political polarization, and acute inequality—and yet many of us feel powerless to do anything about these profound issues. We’ve been assured that unfettered capitalism is necessary to ensure our freedom and prosperity but why, in our age of unchecked corporate power, are most of us living paycheck to paycheck? When the economy falters, why do governments bail out corporations and shareholders but leave everyday people in the dust?

Now, acclaimed journalist and progressive star on the rise Grace Blakeley exposes the corrupt system that is failing all around us, pulling back the curtain on the free-market mythology we have been sold. She also clearly illustrates how, as corporate interests have taken hold, governments have historically been shifting away from competition and democracy towards monopoly and oligarchy.

Tracing over a century of neoliberal planning and backdoor bailouts, Blakeley takes us on a deeply reported tour of the corporate crimes, political maneuvering, and economic manipulation that elites have used to enshrine a global system of “vulture capitalism”—planned capitalist economies that benefit corporations and the uber-wealthy at the expense of the rest of us.

As “the sort of book that will help us make a better world” (Rob Delaney, New York Times bestselling author), Vulture Capitalism exposes the cracks already emerging within capitalism, lighting a path forward for how we can democratize our economy, not just our politics, to ensure true freedom for all.

©2024 Grace Blakeley (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

This book brings the truth to light like no other

I have tried to explain the thesis of this book to people for many years now. Grace does a better job with more specifics than I ever could. I used to say that capitalism has only ever existed as an idea

Read this book if you want to understand why everything is so expensive.

Grace uses historical analysis and economic data to reiterate the old, but sadly necessary point that economic dictatorship is not the only possible way to fulfill market demand. She beautifully illustrates how closely capital and state are intertwined and describes precisely which mechanisms enable a tiny percentage of people to control our lives. She successfully preempts counter arguments and recommends (what should be considered) common sense alternatives to the unnecessarily individualistic nature of the currently dominant economic system. There is a ton of great research and information in this book and I will be listening again soon. Great job.

well done

finally for me someone ( grace Blakeney) has put together a vision of a direction one might look to.