jeff

Long on detail, short on analysis

Revisado: 07-05-23

This book is like a confetti cannon of details. Webb leads the reader through a web interconnected characters without much analysis, discussion (or evidence) of the political implications of her allegations. She relies heavily on terms like "connections", "associations" and "links to" etc as stand ins for some objective understanding. The reader is left wondering what is the meaning of these relationships? Feels more like gossip than journalism. Nevertheless following in the footsteps of Danny Casolaro, Webb stands out as one of the few researchers who bothered to tie a vast array of elite power broker activity together. If you are interested in that I would recommend this book.

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Fantastic

Revisado: 01-24-23

This wonderful little book punches well beyond its weight. Starts as a strategy for debt restructure and ends up as a tactical plan for revolution. Well done

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Another important book on US Imperialism

Revisado: 05-25-21

Like The Phoenix Program (Doug Valentine) Bevins explains the strategic and tactical brutality of US imperialism. His in person interview approach to research adds a much needed lived experience to this scholarly narrative.

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Before Epstein there was FRANKLIN.

Revisado: 08-12-20

The depths that people and governmental agencies descend in order to protect an extortion racket is astounding.

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Essential information for survival of humans

Revisado: 06-22-20

Web of Debt is far more than an simple revealing of mechanics of our corrupt monetary system. It is nothing short of a battle plan of how to save the world. Read it and spread the word.

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Important book but misses some huge points.

Revisado: 06-15-20

Honestly the framing of this book is a little odd. Modern Money Theory is not completely new. MMT is more of less keynesian economics with a jobs guarantees. It is good reminder of some basic economic facts particularly when faced with fallacious arguments regarding how we pay for essential programs like the Green New Deal. I think the more interesting story is why the deficit (or money creation in general) is so consistently and seamlessly framed in falsehoods propaganda and outright misinformation. It's unconscionable to many of us that we squander so much of our potential just to make wealthy people even richer. If we are going to turn this corrupt system around, we need to talk about these things realistically: The deficit is not simply a myth but a deliberate deception. It is a lie propagated by those who profit from it. It is the primary mechanism that keeps our nation impoverished and unequal.

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esto le resultó útil a 17 personas

Important but...

Revisado: 05-28-20

If you are looking for concision and clarity in a description of Marxist theory you could do worse but I cannot say this is an easy read. Many of Marx's most important revelations are framed in clumsy academic terms that do not lend themselves to the audiobook medium. Further Harvey seems to go off on tangential spirals at the expense of explaining his main points. I suspect this material might be better read than listened to.

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Interesting but missing important detail

Revisado: 04-08-20

Interesting. I was hoping for an explanation for the expansion of empire in terms of who benefits from it. I think many of us readers would like to understand why the US is involved in empire building in a return on investment frame. Lots of interesting information on military seeking advantages and synergies but little on what economic benefit (or lack thereof) there is for the citizen who is paying for it. Very little on the role of the dollar as reserve currency which I would like to learn more about.

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Middle management of savagery.

Revisado: 09-03-19

Max Blumenthal is one of our best fact based chroniclers of world events. This is clearly his best yet. However in this piece Max reveals his didactic side by extended criticisms of corporate media and bought politicians. He describes the rise of Al Qaeda Isis and Trump as blowback: the unintended consequences of the bad ideas of stupid people. A common refrain. An understandable conclusion if it happened once in a while. But as this book points out it happens all the time. I wonder if Blumenthal sees the consistent pattern that he so eloquently describes; Blowback is not a bug in the system. It is a feature. It is driven by profit seeking and the advance of deeply disturbing form of totalitarian capitalism capable of selling crack to its own citizens and funding both sides of a war.
Max if youre reading this, your readers are angry. We read your books because you are one of the few who report on the corruption of power and its consequences. However we already know our leaders and our institutions corrupt. We see the evidence everyday as our tax dollars engorge elites with ever increasing amounts of wealth and power. Furthering this insidious engine of death and misery all around the planet. We want to know who is behind that corruption and how to stop them. I’ll wait for your next book: The CEOs of Savagery.

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Homo Deus leftovers

Revisado: 02-09-19

If you have read Homo Deus then you already have the interesting content. Feels like Harari is getting a little drunk on his new found power as "thought leader" Lot's of discredited neo-liberal wishful thinking like discussions about immigration as if can be contained between the polar positions "those that are for immigration and those who are against it" With no mention of the root causes. Similar omissions are present in his views on Israel / Palestine conflict where he freely discusses terrorism as a tactic of the weak and Israel's occupation as defensive. Again no mention of root causes. I would expect more objectivity and less neo liberal propaganda.

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