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Propelled by fascinating original interviews with the plutocrats themselves, Plutocrats is a tour de force of social and economic history, the definitive examination of inequality in our time.
Chrystia Freeland was born and raised in Peace River, Alberta. These two are essential reading for anybody who wants to understand where we are. Today, of course, Venice is sinking. Freeland charts the rise of this class by examining global trends and exploring the consequences of the creation of such a money-laden elite, shifting smoothly from dense academic studies and interviews with George Soros to grappling with the success of Lady Gaga… Her findings are fleshed out with fine research, strong statistics and neat nuggets of information.
Freeland surrounds the ideas is satisfying.
This well-written and lively account is a good primer for anyone who wants to understand one extreme of America today. From the opulent Bradley Martin ball of to its modern echoes in Sun Valley and Davos, Plutocrats chronicles the habits of the workaholic overclass—its taste for British public schools, its immodest philanthropy, its fundamental rootlessness. Even as she describes this gilded tribe, Freeland advances a paradoxical warning. Open societies may allow super-achievers to pile up extraordinary riches—and to feel that they have more or less deserved them.
But the more these meritocrats succeed, the more likely they are to entrench their own offspring at the top of the heap, negating the very meritocracy that afforded them their chances.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Mar 08, Lindsay rated it it was ok. Somewhat amusing to read this now, 15 years after publication. The author hints at the possible problems in the future, which of course we've seen happen now. This book wasn't at all what I expected.
It wasn't a guidebook per se about how to become rich. It wasn't a biography of several rich people. No, instead it was a sort of history lesson of stock market development in the s and 90s. In other words, like most history books - boring. In addition, you really need some business and financial Somewhat amusing to read this now, 15 years after publication. In addition, you really need some business and financial background to understand the concepts in the book.
Very few things were explained. I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone. Matsini1 rated it really liked it Jul 06, Stress and Success American Style.
At the beginning of , there were nearly three hundred billionaires and five million millionaires living in the United States. This timely book offers an insider's view of notable men, women, and events that led to the creation of this enormous wealth. This book provides a fascinating explanation of how the really big money was made. In , Forbes magazine began its now much-read annual list of America's richest men and women.
At the time of the first list, there were 12 billionaires in the country and fewer than , millionaires. By the year , there were nearly billionaires and about 5 million millionaires. Labeled "Reaganomics" by the press, it espoused lower taxes, deregulation, and entrepreneurism.
During the Clinton Administration, the technology sector especially stood out for its growth and the numbers of rich and super-rich it produced. While profiles of highly successful individuals make up most of the content of this book, Smith often introduces statistics to illustrate the impressive wealth-making that occurred during the s and s.
Propelled by fascinating original interviews with the plutocrats themselves, Plutocrats is a tour de force of social and economic history, the definitive examination of inequality in our time. From the opulent Bradley Martin ball of to its modern echoes in Sun Valley and Davos, Plutocrats chronicles the habits of the workaholic overclass—its taste for British public schools, its immodest philanthropy, its fundamental rootlessness. Download our Spring Fiction Sampler Now. The author of several books on international banking including The Global Bankers, published in , which has been widely acclaimed, Mr. It wasn't a biography of several rich people. In 17 years, the number of billionaires grew from 12 to
The large increase in the number of billionaires and millionaires is only one measure of the unprecedented economic growth that took place during this time. The Dow Jones stock-market indicator tripled during the eight years of the Reagan Administration from its starting point of By the end of the Clinton Administration, it was over 11,a fourteen-fold increase from the early s. The value of the average American household wealth financial and real estate assets minus debt including mortgage increase four-and-a-half times over 20 years, compounding at the rate of eight percent per year.
Smith also profiles those who found fortune--both the famous and those little-known outside their fields. Steve Jobs, Ralph Lauren, Ted Turner, Philip Knight founder of Nike sports shoes , Walt Minnick founder of a network of plant nurseries , and Marc Josephson founder of a communications services company are among those covered by the author.
Many icons of the sports and entertainment industry are also the subject of this book, including Steven Spielberg, Tiger Woods, and Oprah Winfrey. These individuals evidence the role of the media in creating wealth.
Smith not only portrays the exceptionally successful individuals at the top of their fields, but also tells how they amassed their fortunes. Thus, The Rise of Today's Rich and Super-Rich can be read not only for inspiration, but also for ideas and stratagems on ways of pursuing riches.