'Winners Take All' by Anand Giridharadas is pure genius! The book starts with a description of the inequalities plaguing our societies (with some very shocking statistics!) and moves on to discuss how the practice of philanthropy and certain forms of globalisation only exacerbate the situation. This counter intuitive stance is brave, but also convincingly argued. By the end of the book I found myself challenging many of my own comfort zones and seeing the world in a slightly different light. Whilst the author acknowledges that entrepreneurs are "by nature problem-solvers" and that they are motivated by a challenge, his argument is that when they take on the world's ills, they do so primarily with their own interests at heart.
Often, as illustrated by many of the case studies presented in the book, some of the most serious problems societies are facing today are actually caused by the ruthless practices of big business and multinationals; the positive changes these may bring through their charitable foundations and donations ultimately serve to entrench a system that exploits the majority of people who are not members of the highly privileged class. The answer, according to Giridharadas, is in strengthening our political systems, in order to ensure that money is actually channelled fairly, democratically and consistently into areas that effectively and progressively improve the lives of people.
If you would like a taster, you can read this brilliant one in The Guardian's Long Reads series: The new elite's crusade to save the world - without changing anything.
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