The Inequality of Wealth: Why it Matters and How to Fix it (Hardback)

Very few in frontline politics have worked as long as Liam Byrne on the theory and practice of tackling inequality - or are as thoughtful and insightful. This new book is essential reading for anyone who cares about tackling one of the great political and moral challenges of our time. The UK is an “inheritocracy” – a country where the richest, wealth-wise, have widened the gap with the rest, amplifying social inequalities. Liam Byrne’s book is rich, practical and compelling in its proposals for turning this tide, elevating opportunities and living standards for many millions of people through sweeping institutional reform. I hope it is not just read widely but acted on immediately. The effects of inequality are not solely a consequence of poverty, they also result from how wealth and affluence skew society, undermining our social solidarity and wellbeing. Liam Byrne understands the devastating costs of wealth inequality, here is a politician with a true sense of purpose – this is a must-read for those who want to shape a better society. From the destructive impunity of today’s phenomenally wealthy – the disfiguring feature of our times – to well thought out, original solutions, Liam Byrne makes an indisputable case. Powerful social observation combined with distilling the best of today’s thinking in response – at once readable and passionate – does not come much better than this. A thought-provoking read about one of the most difficult yet most important political issues of our time. Liam Byrne has spent his years in opposition thinking deeply about what a government should do, and this book is the fruit of that work. This is a plan for a fairer, richer and stronger country, and I hope ministers pay attention. Liam Byrne's new book will help the British left to understand how freedom and equality should be reconciled. He takes the politics of inequality as seriously as we must, but shows us how combating inequality can help us to expand freedom. Liam Byrne’s The Inequality of Wealth is beautifully written, deeply insightful and above all humane. The policy recommendations are original, bold and persuasive, and should define future debates on how to create a more just society. In this bold and incisive book, Liam Byrne makes a compelling case for a radically different approach to wealth and inequality. Everyone who cares about the future of this country and of our society should read it. Reducing wealth inequality remains an urgent global challenge. Liam Byrne has produced a well-informed, sharply-argued and highly-readable analysis of the problem — and more importantly what now needs to be done. This is a wonderful book. Liam Byrne lucidly and elegantly explains why wealth inequality is a key challenge that needs to be at the centre of a meaningful politics of social justice. His thoughtful and creative policy ideas offer a practical platform for addressing these inequities and should command attention across the political spectrum. In these troubled political times, the wise counsel offered here is a great tonic. Liam Byrne is now thinking about doing what was so very recently unthinkable. He is open to policies he once dismissed as unrealistic, and can be persuaded on others that in the past were painted as pipe dreams. British politics is changing, it is abruptly shifting, in a way it has not done fifty years, and in a good way. The Inequality of Wealth is a key part of that turn. It is a hand-break turn.