The Establishment

Politicians and media worked almost hand in glove to promote the myth that people who should be held responsible for the nation’s multiple social and economic ills are those at the bottom of the pecking order, rather than those at the top. I wanted to try and redress the balance. No matter what your political views, The Establishment makes for highly interesting reading. A controversial title, it puts forward a clear and passionate argument making the case for re-examining the British political system. The book, which Armando Iannucci  described as “Fantastic, timely, eye-opening', in the New Statesman, puts across the argument that currently, a small group of individuals not only wield the greatest power in Britain, but that they use this power to serve needs that are far from universal. Jones is not suggesting this is "an organised conspiracy", more a deliberate ploy to shape government for the needs of the few. Essentially, as the empowered in society help one another, these mutually beneficial relationships make it very difficult for others to assert themselves or their interests. It is, he argues, an unfair system in need of greater scrutiny and accountability. Jones explores the notion, put forward by many politicians, of what is ‘politically possible’, arguing the possibilities are not, in fact, as limited as many in power would have us believe.  Owen Jones is an inspiring, modern-day thinker whose ideas spark fierce debate.