Greed Is Dead: Politics After Individualism
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- Create Date：2021-09-01 09:51:01
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Paul Collier
- ISBN：0141994169
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Summary
Two of the UK's leading economists call for an end to extreme individualism as the engine of prosperity
'provocative but thought-provoking and nuanced' Telegraph
Throughout history， successful societies have created institutions which channel both competition and co-operation to achieve complex goals of general benefit。 These institutions make the difference between societies that thrive and those paralyzed by discord， the difference between prosperous and poor economies。 Such societies are pluralist but their pluralism is disciplined。
Successful societies are also rare and fragile。 We could not have built modernity without the exceptional competitive and co-operative instincts of humans， but in recent decades the balance between these instincts has become dangerously skewed: mutuality has been undermined by an extreme individualism which has weakened co-operation and polarized our politics。
Collier and Kay show how a reaffirmation of the values of mutuality could refresh and restore politics， business and the environments in which people live。 Politics could reverse the moves to extremism and tribalism; businesses could replace the greed that has degraded corporate culture; the communities and decaying places that are home to many could overcome despondency and again be prosperous and purposeful。 As the world emerges from an unprecedented crisis we have the chance to examine society afresh and build a politics beyond individualism。
'provocative but thought-provoking and nuanced' Telegraph
Throughout history， successful societies have created institutions which channel both competition and co-operation to achieve complex goals of general benefit。 These institutions make the difference between societies that thrive and those paralyzed by discord， the difference between prosperous and poor economies。 Such societies are pluralist but their pluralism is disciplined。
Successful societies are also rare and fragile。 We could not have built modernity without the exceptional competitive and co-operative instincts of humans， but in recent decades the balance between these instincts has become dangerously skewed: mutuality has been undermined by an extreme individualism which has weakened co-operation and polarized our politics。
Collier and Kay show how a reaffirmation of the values of mutuality could refresh and restore politics， business and the environments in which people live。 Politics could reverse the moves to extremism and tribalism; businesses could replace the greed that has degraded corporate culture; the communities and decaying places that are home to many could overcome despondency and again be prosperous and purposeful。 As the world emerges from an unprecedented crisis we have the chance to examine society afresh and build a politics beyond individualism。
Reviews
Amelia Caldwell
，
This book articulates so perfectly the current state of modern society in a breathtakingly simple manner。 I will always remember how the bread is supplied in New York。 I would have loved to see more pages dedicated to the antidote to individualism and what it looks like for those who occupy the market fundamentalist and insistent and expressive activists of individual rights camps。 While a comprehensive description of what that looks like would defeat the point of communitarianism， in that commu This book articulates so perfectly the current state of modern society in a breathtakingly simple manner。 I will always remember how the bread is supplied in New York。 I would have loved to see more pages dedicated to the antidote to individualism and what it looks like for those who occupy the market fundamentalist and insistent and expressive activists of individual rights camps。 While a comprehensive description of what that looks like would defeat the point of communitarianism， in that communities are unique to the place and individuals that occupy it， more examples would provide me a sense that righting the dinghy is indeed possible！ An excellent read and one that I will recommend most thoroughly in my own communities。 。。。more
Germán
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A fantastic blueprint for both left and right， serves as a summary and identifier of best practices from Kay's Radical Uncertainty and Collier's The Future of Capitalism。A worthwhile read。 A fantastic blueprint for both left and right， serves as a summary and identifier of best practices from Kay's Radical Uncertainty and Collier's The Future of Capitalism。A worthwhile read。 。。。more
Timothy
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Timely and thought provoking。 Perhaps not the lightest read and as with many socio-economic books a little brief on practical steps。 However， the authors’ identification of the growth of greed and self-interest combined with excessive state centralisation and control leading to individuals expecting too much from institutions and not enough from themselves is interesting。 Maybe the current pandemic will lead to more community action rather than self-motivated activism。 Time will tell。
Priyanka Kanse
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Quick and easy read for context on individualism from an economic perspective。 Four stars bc it's so quick to read。 Quick and easy read for context on individualism from an economic perspective。 Four stars bc it's so quick to read。 。。。more
Igor Zurimendi
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While there are some redeemable sections， the book fails at its stated mission - it's nostalgic for an idealised version of the postwar period， and shallow in how it proposes to return us to it。 Instead of having the confidence to critique the strongest proponents of individualism， by and large it merely attacks a straw men。 This is mostly clearly illustrated how it misquotes Friedman on the social responsibility of business and does not even superficially engaging with his arguments on the subj While there are some redeemable sections， the book fails at its stated mission - it's nostalgic for an idealised version of the postwar period， and shallow in how it proposes to return us to it。 Instead of having the confidence to critique the strongest proponents of individualism， by and large it merely attacks a straw men。 This is mostly clearly illustrated how it misquotes Friedman on the social responsibility of business and does not even superficially engaging with his arguments on the subject。 Collier and Kay's own answer to the question is almost comically banal: "the social responsibility of business is to conduct business is a socially responsible way"。 Many other of their proposals are similarly trivial: "encouraging young people to get training and encouraging firms to bring in productive jobs are interdependent。 The answer is not to 'do neither'， but to 'do both'"。 And most damningly for a book that espouses a communitarian approach to politics， it seems to be anchored nowhere specific - you can't really get away with saying "the regions need clusters of productive jobs" if you want to be taken seriously。 。。。more
Barbara
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Also by John Kay， both authors a tour de force， and to have them together is even better。 A book I would like to give more stars too。 Paul Collier always uses a lot of research， has wide experience and is a voice of wisdom。 Like Exodus and Refugee， this book is too intelligent for those who wish to churn out the usual mantras。
Stephen
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I am starting to acquire a taste for the books written by these authors。 I have known the work of John Kay for some years - he is quite visible as a columnist - but Paul Collier's work is relatively new to me。 It has acted as a breath of fresh air in a very stale world。 I quite liked the book which I found to be well argued and easy to read。The basic premise of the book is that we are suffering from an excess of individualism， both from the right and from the left。 The excessive individualism of I am starting to acquire a taste for the books written by these authors。 I have known the work of John Kay for some years - he is quite visible as a columnist - but Paul Collier's work is relatively new to me。 It has acted as a breath of fresh air in a very stale world。 I quite liked the book which I found to be well argued and easy to read。The basic premise of the book is that we are suffering from an excess of individualism， both from the right and from the left。 The excessive individualism of the right has become hardwired into the structure of economics， a discipline that no longer describes the real world。 If economics is to progress， it needs to resolve that flaw。 The excessive individualism of the left has become hardwired into the rights based identity politics that we currently experience。 If society is to flourish， then we have to allow for responsibilities and obligations as well as rights。 If we don't， we will spin around in ever decreasing circles of selfishness。This analysis gives a clue to the antidote for excessive individualism - communitarianism。 I am quite inclined in that direction。 It is based upon mutual respect as the basis of trust rather than some form of contractual obligation。 It is a way to comb out the extremes。 To find a way of reconciling differences rather than some form of adversarial combat。 If we are a mature society， the we do need to act in a mature way。 I think that is where the authors draw inspiration。 Many business leaders and politicians act like spoiled children。There are many dimensions to a revived form of communitarianism。 One such dimension is place。 That is important in the UK， which is a highly centralised nation。 Politics is done in London。 Finance is done in London。 Business is done in London。 The rest of the country is a bit fed up with this。 The authors rightly point to the way in which the response of the British Establishment to any crisis is to centralise it。 We are now starting to see that assumption questioned in the regions， a process that has a long way to go。I feel that the authors have hit upon a long trend that is starting to gain pace and which has a long way to go。 As a provincial， I rather support that。 Moves to decentralise and distribute power， whether political or economic， have my approval。 I f you doubt this， read the book。 It is well written and well argued。 Despite the authors being academic economists， it is a surprisingly easy and enjoyable read。 。。。more
Dobrosława
，
Worst Collier's book that I have read but since it's Collier's， it's still pretty good Worst Collier's book that I have read but since it's Collier's， it's still pretty good 。。。more
Ed Randall
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The authors seem to be concerned primarily with signaling their virtue through frequent references to esoteric readings rather than coming up with any concrete proposals。 Lots of "as xyz says" and "we should have more of this and less of that"， with very little how。 An interesting book， but one that seems to have been written more to raise the authors dinner part and academic profiles than to actually provide a roadmap for change。 The authors seem to be concerned primarily with signaling their virtue through frequent references to esoteric readings rather than coming up with any concrete proposals。 Lots of "as xyz says" and "we should have more of this and less of that"， with very little how。 An interesting book， but one that seems to have been written more to raise the authors dinner part and academic profiles than to actually provide a roadmap for change。 。。。more
Roberto
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A very concise and with a plethora of ideais that can shift the world for the best to all sapiens。 I do believe it will never be implemented。 Perhaps if there is a social unrest or the continuing of this pandemic:Covid。。。
N
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Storbritanniafiksert analyse med særlig fokus hvordan rettighetstenkning og individfokus fra både høyre- og venstresiden svekker samfunnets samhold og utvikling。 Særlig første del er interessant， men boka blir litt utflytende， preget av at man presser inn for mange tema。
Paul moved to LibraryThing
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