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The Finance Curse
The Finance Curse
Jul 2, 2025 1:48 AM

Author:Nicholas Shaxson

The Finance Curse

This is a book that none of us can afford to ignore – an agenda-setting, campaigning investigation that shows how global finance works for the few and not the many.

** A Financial Times Book of the Year **

‘Essential reading’ YANIS VAROUFAKIS

We need finance – but when finance grows too big it becomes a curse.

The City of London is the single biggest drain on our resources, sucking talent out of every sphere, siphoning wealth and hoovering up government time. Yet to be ‘competitive’, we’re told we must turn a blind eye to money laundering and appease big business with tax cuts.

Tracing the curse back through economic history, Nicholas Shaxson uncovers how we got to this point. Moving from offshore tax havens to the bizarre industry of wealth management, he tells the explosive story of how finance established a stranglehold on society – and reveals how we can begin to break free.

‘A radical, urgent and important manifesto for improving our country’

Oliver Bullough, Observer

‘Superbly written… A must-read’

Misha Glenny, author of McMafia

‘Hard-hitting, well written and informative’

Financial Times

Reviews

Utterly convincing… The Finance Curse is a radical and important manifesto for improving Britain

—— Oliver Bullough, author of MONEYLAND

This is a splendid polemic against modern finance, in general, and the City of London, in particular. It is hard-hitting, well written and informative. Instead of enabling productive investment, the predominant activity of contemporary finance is rent extraction. This comes in many different guises: modern finance does not only promote tax avoidance and evasion, but, argues Shaxson, enables gangsterism and corruption on an enormous scale. I fear he is right.

—— Martin Wolf , Financial Times

This superbly written book shows definitively how global finance has been grossly mis-sold to us all. It’s a must-read for anyone who lives, works and spends in this country

—— MISHA GLENNY, author of McMafia

Gripping . . . a superbly written overview

—— Times Literary Supplement

Searing… Shaxson has form on being prescient ... his ideas should not be dismissed lightly

—— Caroline Binham , Financial Times

If you want to understand why walls of money can be bad for an economy like Britain’s, and what we should do about it, The Finance Curse is essential reading.

—— YANIS VAROUFAKIS

Compelling

—— Prospect

Eight years ago Nick Shaxson wrote one of the best books about modern finance… Now Shaxson is back, with something bigger to say… forensic accounting analysis, sharp reporting and interviews

—— John Arlidge , Sunday Times

The book’s principle virtue springs from Shaxson’s skill in unpicking the complexity of the system and explaining it in layman’s terms… enlightening

—— Emma Duncan , The Times

A powerful call to arms against a self-serving, over-bearing and growth-sapping global finance system.

—— Stewart Lansley, author of A Sharing Economy and The Cost of Inequality

A vital contribution to the debate on the future of capitalism and a riveting account of how we got where we are

—— Richard Brooks, author of Bean Counters

Nicholas Shaxson’s previous compelling work on tax havens makes him a brand you can trust if you like to purple with indignation at financial impropriety on the largest scale

—— Strong Words

Through Shaxson’s journalistic, investigative and analytical mind, he holds a mirror up to us, exposing big data sets, offshore networks and the hidden extraction engines of private equity and hedge funds. He helps us broaden our minds to the subtle webs and cultural and materialistic engines which undermine liberal principles of freedom, democracy, fairness and equality.

—— Atul K. Shah , London School of Economics

An exceptional book

—— Communist Party of Britain Marxist-Leninist

Bad Buying should be required reading for every buyer who is serious about their career... a manual for professional buyers [and] a fascinating litany of the mistakes that can happen when buyers get it wrong

—— Luke Johnson , The Times

A fascinating litany of the mistakes that can happen when buyers get it wrong

—— Luke Johnson, The Sunday Times

Packed full with amazing examples

—— Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2

Colossal, costly disasters could be averted if those holding the purse strings read this book

—— The Times

An edgy multi-layered mystery with an unforgettable opening and one suspect after another. The goings on in the detectives' private lives were just as fascinating as the main story. The characters were so well-rounded they felt real. I didn't want this story to end.

—— Allie Reynolds, author of Shiver

The shocking opening hooked me in and the twists and turns kept me furiously turning the pages, desperate to know how the story would unfold. Lie Beside Me is a clever and compelling thriller, with a fantastic cast of characters you'll want to spend time with. I loved it

—— Lisa Gray, bestselling author of Thin Air

Superbly plotted and and relentlessly pacy, Lie Beside Me is hands-down her best yet. From its grab-you-by-the-throat opening to its truly shocking conclusion, Lie Beside Me will have you second-guessing everyone and everything. This really is a series going from strength to strength

—— Caz Frear, Richard and Judy bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies

Thrilling

—— My Weekly

Praise for Gytha Lodge

—— :

A novel that literally makes you hold your breath then gasp out loud

—— Val McDermid

An excellent detective novel. The opening scene is superb, and sets up the story beautifully. Gripping, multi-layered and fresh. Terrific

—— Will Dean , author of Dark Pines

An absolute gem - I was hooked from the first page

—— Jo Jakeman , author of Sticks and Stones
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