Review: The Poverty of Capitalism ... but a wealth of insight

Andrew Fisher, LEAP Co-ordinator, reviews John Hilary's 'The Poverty of Capitalism: Economic Meltdown and the Struggle for What Comes Next'. Published by Pluto Press.

War on Want's Executive Director John Hilary has been an outspoken and radical advocate of the global movement for social justice. Unafraid to speak plainly, to step outside and even condemn the cosy coalitions and tame agendas of some other NGOs. As such, it was with much anticipation that I started to read The Poverty of Capitalism.

The book not only draws upon Hilary's encyclopaedic knowledge of the global players and the struggles they provoke around the world for social justice, but also develops new theoretical underpinnings and useful concepts to better understand the global struggle against the power of almighty capital.

Hilary's fearless analysis not only takes on the known evils of globalisation - including the big corporations, the far from objective global economic institutions and the bought and paid for politicians. But it also takes aim at the wolves in sheep's clothing: the philanthropists, aid agencies and NGOs providing a humanitarian facade for a corporate agenda (reminiscent of the role of missionaries for the British Empire).

Like any well-researched book, it contains a number of great tidbits to develop the main thesis, including the quotes from Pentagon's 2012 paper on the 'Joint Operational Access Concept' which make it clear the US will go to war for resources - as it did in Afghanistan and Iraq - stating:

"the United States must maintain the credible capability to project military force into any region of the world in support of those interests. Thus includes the ability to force both into the global commons to ensure their use and into foreign territory as required."

Another also relates to the US, as we learn that 60% of personal bankruptcies in that country are caused by medical bills.

But the most important point in the book is to detail the corrupt power structures that keep the poor poor and the rich rich. In doing so, concepts like 'popular sovereignty', 'common ownership' and 'social production' are introduced and explained in developing the case for a democratic and ecologically sustainable transition in the global economy.

This is not an abstract vision, but rooted in social movements from across many of the most developed and successful of which are from Latin America, Africa and Asia. And it is this that perhaps gives the book its power - as the reader is transported along a compelling narrative from technical analysis of the realities of global realpolitik and economic institutaions, to an conceptual outlining of alternatives to the discontented struggling and often succeeding to make those alternatives a reality.

Those realities could take us, as Hilary labels the final chapter, 'Beyond Capitalism'. I'm in.

Andrew Fisher edited 'Building the new common sense: social ownership for the 21st century'.

Tax Justice - Are you serious?

An event jointly organised by Action Aid, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Tax Justice Network, War on Want. 

Monday, 25 November 2013 from 10:30 to 17:00 
London, United Kingdom
Get tickets / register online

With a great line up of speakers and panellists this promises to be a day that will make you think seriously about tax justice.

Speakers and panellists include:

Margaret Hodge MP - Chair of the UK Public Accounts Committee
Richard Brooks - Private Eye,
Andrew Masiye - Activista Zambia,
John Christensen - Tax Justice Network,
Alex Cobham - Centre for Global Development,
Rosa Curling - Leigh Day,
Tim Dixon - Purpose,
Martin Drewry - Health Poverty Action,
Rich Hawkins - PIRC,
John Hilary - War on Want,
David Hillman - Robin Hood Tax Campaign,
Polly Jones - World Development Movement,
Government of Jersey representative,
David McNair - Save the Children,
Richard Murphy - Tax Research UK,
Louise Rouse - Share Action,
Professor Prem Sikka - University of Essex,
Michelle Stanistreet - National Union of Journalists


This past year has seen a momentous shift in public and political perception of the issue of tax fairness.

Tax, who pays it and who doesn’t, has come to be the social and economic issue of the moment. And with good reason. Tax dodging is now a scandal in the minds of the public and politicians alike:

"Individuals and businesses must pay their fair share" David Cameron in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January this year.

Having already had huge tranches of public money shifted from public goods and services to bail out banks guilty of reckless lending; people have witnessed exposé after exposé of large multinationals and wealthy individuals refusing to pay back into the common weal and scorning their basic civic duty to pay a fair share of tax. People across the globe find themselves trapped in poverty while rich multinationals and individuals get away with not paying what they owe.

People are angry - it’s time to build on this anger. 

In the past month a number of organisations and individuals have been discussing how we can convert the peaks of media and public outrage at tax avoidance into a strong, grassroots and citizen-led movement call for tax justice that this and future Governments cannot ignore.

This event is an opportunity to join with other organisations, activists and thinkers, to hear from tax justice pioneers and critics, and to ask the hard questions and debate the tough issues.
Join us for the Tax dodging ‘Tax Justice – Are you serious?’ forum.

If you intend to join us for the UK Gold screening & panel discussion at 6.30 please do confirm your tickets for the film here.


See also:

• Tax justice - exposing the multi-billion fraud 
• Tax justice becomes a movement
• Mervyn King backs the tax justice campaign?
• 5 reasons why you can't take the government seriously on tax justice 

Read a report of the conference here (via In particular order)

Targeting the Tax Dodgers

Voting has started to find the UK's biggest tax shirker.

People can decide which corporation or individual has made the biggest contribution to the cause of robbing the poor to pay the rich.

There is a shortlist of 10 on the False Economy website.

Read the details behind the logos of the finalists – like Boots and Vodafone – and vote for the top shirker. There's also good reason to consider Barclays, which is being targeted by Right to Work.

The poll is organised by False Economy, PCS, War on Want and the TUC.

It highlights the fact that the public sector is being slashed while billions of pounds of tax is avoided, evaded, or uncollected.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said:

“It is a national scandal that tens of billions of pounds are being sucked out of our economy every year by some very wealthy people, particularly at a time when we are told cuts are unavoidable.

“It is even more of a scandal that the government not only knows this is happening, but is pressing ahead with even more cuts to HMRC, the very department that should be taking action to ensure the tax dodgers are stopped in their tracks.”

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary said:

“While ordinary people have no choice but to pay higher VAT, big corporations and the super-rich find it all too easy to get out of paying a fair tax contribution - we are certainly not all in this together.”

War on Want executive director John Hilary said:

“Every day brings a new revelation of yet another company failing to pay its tax dues. Now we learn that Barclays has more than 300 subsidiaries in tax havens, just as City bankers line up for their new year bonuses.

“The government must crack down on all tax dodgers as an urgent measure to rebalance public finances and stop the cuts.”