Humanities & Social Sciences

Stinking Rich

The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire

by Carl Rhodes

Description

Billionaires are an ultra-elite social class whose numbers are growing alongside their obscene wealth while others struggle, suffer or even die.

They represent a scourge of economic inequality, but how do they get away with it? A set of dangerous and deceptive inter-connected myths portrays them as a ‘force for good’:

  • the ‘heroic billionaire’ asserts they are gallant protagonists of the American Dream gone global
  • the ‘generous billionaire’ pretends that their philanthropic efforts and personal good deeds should be lauded for generosity and benevolence
  • the ‘meritorious billionaire’ insists that extreme wealth is a worthy reward for individual hard work and talent
  • the ‘vigilante billionaire’ claims to be able to solve the world’s biggest problems where bureaucrats and politicians have failed.

Each of these myths enables billionaire wealth and power to set us back to old-style feudalism and plutocracy.

Offering a trenchant critique, this incisive book testifies to the growing international political will to take concrete actions in supporting economic justice and democratic equality.

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Rights Information

Currently all translation rights available.


Author of one of our bestselling titles Woke Capitalism which was translated into Italian, Korean and Japanese.

Author Biography

Carl Rhodes is Professor of Organization Studies and Dean of the Business School, University of Technology Sydney. He studies the ethical and democratic dimensions of business, the economy and work. He is author of the bestselling Woke Capitalism (Bristol University Press, 2021) and a frequent commentator for the press in publications such as The Guardian, The Times, Fast Company, Business Insider and The Conversation.

Copyright Information

© Bristol University Press 2025


Bristol University Press

Bristol University Press

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Bibliographic Information

  • Publisher Bristol University Press
  • Publication Date January 2025
  • Orginal LanguageEnglish
  • ISBN/Identifier 9781529239102
  • Publication Country or regionUnited Kingdom
  • FormatHardback
  • Primary Price 19.99 GBP
  • Pages224
  • ReadershipGeneral
  • Publish StatusUnpublished
  • Original Language TitleEnglish
  • Original Language AuthorsEnglish
  • Edition1
  • Copyright Year2025
  • Dimensions216 x 140 mm

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