Shows what is going on behind closed doors

It really digs deep to those who really control what and whom. Very thought provoking

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

We’re doomed

Confirms all the stuff we already know is going on, with the facts and figures. With so many blatant loop holes damaging our democracy, it leaves you wondering, do we have anyone prepared to make the necessary changes!?

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great listen,, well narrated., give it a try

Brilliantly researched, great narration by Peter, kept my attention throughout. I do hope more take note of this book and the subject matter, its not about left or right.. It's about democracy

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Scary stuff

A very well written account of how elections and referenda are manipulated. I’m hoping to see more from this author.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

We need to stand up and take notice.

Thank you for writing this book and also for the audiobook. We need to stop thinking of having less tax on our wages and fight for our future and our children’s future. 👌

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Politicians selling us out

I am not naturally left leaning but am increasingly worried that successive Governments since Grdon Brown have simply managed a decline in living standards for most people. This book made me realise the extent that the elite game the system although it was not clear why / what their objective is. Worth a listen

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Scary stuff

How did the Conservatives gain a massive election victory in Labour held seats in 2019, despite 10 years of austerity, screwing up Brexit and being led by an incompetent lying fool? This book explains it.
Well written, well researched and well told. Everyone needs to read this book to help guide you through the minefield of politics in today’s digital life.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Frightening yet underlining all thyour worst fears

For something that could be dry and heavy the machinations around Brexit are laid out for our examination in this, and it's worrying and frightening. The UK democratic political system is shot, ruined and finished, and this explains how and why and shows that we were asleep at the wheel a few years back. Geoghegan makes a good effort to finish positively but we're in a worse position now than we were when he wrote it. An important document that should be read by all.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

important and interesting

I felt it was interesting but missed an opportjnity to discuss the fundementals of humans, populism and the mechanisms of manipulation.... focused on the how rather than the why

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

How Brexit won

This book proposes to offer an overview of the miscellaneous corrupting threats to democracy. In fact, it is almost overwhelmingly focused on Brexit. This analysis confirms little new, merely fleshing out - with often tedious detail - the cabal of American corporate raiders, City of London disaster capitalists, foreign authoritarians, and their power-crazed facilitating ideologues in both the UK and the US. Paradoxically, however - despite my ardent remainer beliefs - I found myself being increasingly persuaded by the opposite case during the book. The author's argument is a set-piece of petty legalistic tedium, devoid of any compelling political vision. That vacuum of ideas and belief illustrates - as much as anything - why the electorate turned their back on the establishment remain campaign. The facilitating dark money - channelled through shell companies, diamond mines, Russian banks, and corrupted British political parties - certainly made a difference to the referendum, and likely tipped it into the Brexit direction. However, this book is myopic in ignoring the bulk of the vote that was largely uninfluenced by this dark money. By looking at the icing and not the cake, this book resolutely misses the point. Behind the lack of engagement in modern Western democracy lies a deep dissatisfaction at the modern political establishment, which explains far more about Brexit than does the final unfair shove from illicit cash. While the point about voter disengagement is latterly noted, the central issue is that a disengaged, mistrusting, and apathetic electorate is the main threat to democracy - not the dark money that greases the slide into dictatorship. A populus lacking a political vision from its leaders is much more vulnerable to the kind of shenanigans the author describes, in his barely penetrable Irish brogue. The end result is a book which is often informing and enlightening - but usually inadvertently so. In many hours of very tedious nit-picking, the author unwittingly performs his part in the death of democracy so very much better than he writes it. Perhaps he'll reflect on this in due course, but the book gives little sign that he will.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful