Technofeudalism
by Yanis Varoufakis
The world-famous #1 bestselling economist explains how capitalism has been usurped by a technologically enhanced form of feudalismNo one noticed when capitalism died.Perhaps we were too distracted by the implosion of global finance, or the rise of populism, or the demise of the planet - or all of those cute cats on Instagram. But gradually, quietly, a yet more exploitative new system has taken hold- techno-feudalism.Written in the form of a letter to his late father, who first taught him about the power of new technologies to shape human history, Yanis Varoufakis explains how Big Tech has effected an invisible but fundamental transformation in all our lives.Drawing on stories from Greek Myth and pop culture, from Mad Men to Karl Marx, he explains how the key ingredients of capitalism - profit and markets - have both been replaced. And he exposes the hidden connection between your personal data and the transformative power of 'cloud capital' which means that without our realising it, we are all working every day for the tech giants, for free.
Paperback
English
Brand New
Author Biography
Yanis Varoufakis is the former finance minister of Greece and the author of a memoir, Adults in the Room, and a history, And the Weak Suffer What They Must?, which reveal and explain the catastrophic mishandling of Europe since the financial crisis. Both were number one bestsellers. His latest bestseller is Talking To My Daughter About the Economy- A Brief History of Capitalism. Born in Athens in 1961, Yanis Varoufakis was for many years a professor of economics in Britain, Australia and the USA before he entered government and is currently Professor of Economics at the University of Athens. Since resigning from Greece's finance ministry he has co-founded an international grassroots movement, DiEM25, campaigning for the revival of democracy in Europe and speaks to audiences of thousands worldwide.yanisvaroufakis.eu / @yanisvaroufakis
Review
What an amazing piece of work this is. Ground-breaking, thought-provoking and highly accessible. Everyone should read it. This is where we're going. The dark, scary, exciting song of our age. 100 out of 100 -- IRVINE WELSH
An important new book ... that describes what is happening in terms of an epochal, once-in-a-millennium shift … in Varoufakis's telling, this isn't just new technology. This is the world grappling with an entirely new economic system and therefore political power -- Carole Cadwalladr * Observer *
Arresting … an ambitious thinker and a lively writer … Varoufakis is right that we are in thrall to digital platforms, who hold our data hostage and prevent us from switching to "a competing cloud fief" * The Times *
Varoufakis is a remarkable combination of analyst and dreamer… as always, Varoufakis makes his readers think… an important achievement * Financial Times, *Books of the Year* *
In his characteristically enthralling style, Varoufakis guides the reader through some of the most significant trends in the modern economy, showing clearly how the big tech giants have built an economy that works for them - and how everyone else can take power back -- GRACE BLAKELEY
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