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erinlynum's review
5.0
I think this is a must-read. The book does an excellent job of walking the reader through how the ultra-wealthy pilfer funds from the public and then avoid taxes, only to then repackage themselves as philanthropists to the public, asking how the world can end poverty and inequality. The hypocrisy is astounding and heartbreaking, given the consequences for our world. The "cosmic lie" was familiar to me from conversations in everyday life. Goodman did an excellent job outlining all the sectors in which the ultra-wealthy continue to take and take, often hand-in-hand with politicians whose campaigns receive hefty contributions. While it's a depressing read, it's important to inform ourselves as consumers where to spend our hard-earned dollars and how to have our voices heard.
One thing that didn't sit well with me was toward the end of the book, when Goodman wrote about how historian Rutger Bregman spoke on a panel at Davos, taking the ultra-wealthy to task for tax evasion - a major faux-pas at Davos. The author would have us believe the whole panel, including Jane Goodall, just played along with Davos's unwritten rule that speakers shouldn't talk about taxes - but that's not true. While he brought it up, then Oxfam director, Winnie Byanyima, really took his point and improved upon it, outlining the negative impact of the ultra-wealthy's tax evasion on regular people.
One thing that didn't sit well with me was toward the end of the book, when Goodman wrote about how historian Rutger Bregman spoke on a panel at Davos, taking the ultra-wealthy to task for tax evasion - a major faux-pas at Davos. The author would have us believe the whole panel, including Jane Goodall, just played along with Davos's unwritten rule that speakers shouldn't talk about taxes - but that's not true. While he brought it up, then Oxfam director, Winnie Byanyima, really took his point and improved upon it, outlining the negative impact of the ultra-wealthy's tax evasion on regular people.
freschne's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Very good description and investigative work. He comes tantalisingly close to the core of the problem but then decides that billionaires are just a bug of a system instead of a feature. So his solution is to go back the the one time that gave temporary reprieve from the crushing oligarchy of the rich and powerful, and just pull an FDR to regulate the rich. Of course, how this is possible with them having a stranglehold on legislation, executive, and media, is unclear. Government has always been by the rich, for the rich, except for the few instances where they needed to throw some morsels to the plebs to keep them from rising up.
buchino's review
3.0
Kinda weird how the entire book’s whole thesis is “capitalism is effed up” and concludes with “we must save capitalism”.
kcrkcr's review
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Classism, and Islamophobia
bookwarm_220's review
challenging
informative
medium-paced
5.0
This thoroughly research book explains difficult-to-understand economic concepts about the movement of money from the lower and middle classes upward into the pockets of the top 1%. In readable prose, it explains the dynamics of inequality, names names, and identifies the structures deployed to move taxpayer money into the bank accounts of the wealthy. Goodman also demonstrates how the wealthy use the levers of democracy to exert control over the economy. This is an easy-to-read book that shows how our lives and our democracy are imperiled by the few who have all the power. Every American should read this book; you will understand the news from a totally different perspective.
heytheredilara's review
4.0
Infuriating. I found it really interesting to learn about different people in the Davos circle. Some parts felt circular in argument but overall great book.