Offshore

Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism

By: Brooke Harrington

Narrated by: Jennifer Walden

How do the rich keep getting richer, while dodging the long arm of the law? The ultra-rich seem to live in a different world from the rest of us. That world is called offshore. Hidden from view, the world's ultra-rich can use offshore finance to escape tax obligations, labor and environmental safety regulations, campaign finance rules, and other laws that get in their way.

In Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, sociologist Brooke Harrington reveals how this system works, as well as how it degrades democracy, the economy, and the public goods on which we all depend. Through interviews with dozens of wealth managers in nineteen countries, Harrington uncovered how this global network of offshore financial centers arose from the remnants of colonialism and has created a new, hidden imperial class.

This engrossing deep dive reveals what offshore finance costs all of us, and how it has colonized the world-not on behalf of any one country, but to benefit a largely invisible empire of a few thousand billionaires, who help themselves to the best society has to offer while sticking us with the bill. As politicians struggle to address the deepening economic and political inequality destabilizing the world, Harrington's expose of the offshore system is a vital resource for understanding the most pressing crises of our time.

©2024 Elisabeth Brooke Harrington (P)2024 Tantor

depth and context

mature examination of contemporary business values in a mobile interconnected symbiosis. forces of privilege and public integrity risk

Excellent work on important topic

I found the book fascinating. Perhaps surprisingly, though, I was most intrigued by the author’s brief introduction! Ms. Harrington’s personal story is worthy of a book on its own!

fantastic break down

this book is excellent breaks down one of the biggest problems in thw world today. something most people know nothing about

Great sociology paper but...

I like the information it provides, does open eyes to some behind the scene issues otherwise not known to most public. Book written like a thesis paper, presented like one, unfortunately, won't be gripping enough for general public but more niche reader. What really dragged this book down is the unfortunately the narration. The narrator sounds like she did the voice for AI read back, and even AI reading program has more intonation and emotion. If I wasn't interested in this topic, probably would've stopped listening due to narrator after 10 min. Would recommend just reading the book instead of listening for those interested in this topic.

Very important but very upsetting

Very easy to understand explanation of the harm offshore accounts are doing globally.
It also presents a solution.

eat the rich

man I'm moved to action. the way the ultra rich use cheap distraction tactics to avoid paying their fair share, rob the world economy and make us poorer is horrible. we need to do something.... stay tuned I believe people can and will...

Why democracy appears to be failing around the world.

Could have used less historical background and more current events and politics tied to illegal tax avoidance. More here's how bad the scope is today, than how we incrementally got here over the last century.