The national wealth - Dominic Hobson

A lucid, authoritative and comprehensive account of who owns the physical and financial wealth of the UK. How did the various people and institutions come to own the assets of the nation? What is their share of the assets worth? What are they doing with their share? What does it all mean for the liberty and prosperity of the country? The National Wealth is about money and power. A quick breakdown of the book's contents: * Part One: examines earlier forms of property ownership -- the monarchy, aristocracy, church, universities, the great public schools and the medieval corporations. Includes valuations of their wealth today, and scrutinises today's heritage industry. * Part Two: the State -- the assets of central and local government, from the gold in the vaults of the Bank of England to municipal parks. Analyses consequences of the post-war nationalizations and the privatizations of the 1980s and 90s. * Part Three: the People -- controllers of capital rather than the owners (the boardroom Fat Cats, accountants, lawyers and other professionals who form the richest groups in modern Britain: plus farmers, judges, dentists, teachers, etc.).;* Part Four: the Corporate Economy (investment institutions, bankers, brokers, insurance companies, pension funds, charity industry, sporting bodies, etc.).