Alpha City - New book: How London was bought and sold by the Super-Rich & what it means for the rest of us

Who owns London? In recent decades, it has fallen into the hands of the super-rich. It is today the essential “World City” for High-Net-Worth Individuals and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals. Compared to New York or Tokyo, the two cities that bear the closest comparison, it has the largest number of wealthy people per head of population. Taken as a whole, London is the epicentre of the world’s finance markets, an elite cultural hub, and a place to hide one’s wealth.

Rowland Atkinson presents a history of the property boom economy, going back to the end of Empire. It tells the story of eager developers, sovereign wealth and grasping politicians, all paving the way for the wealthy colonisation of the cityscape. The consequences of this transformation of the capital for capital is the brutal expulsion of the urban poor, austerity, cuts, demolitions, and a catalogue of social injustices. This Faustian pact has resulted in the sale and destruction of public assets, while the rich turn a blind eye toward criminal money laundering to feather their own nests.

Alpha City moves from gated communities and the mega-houses of the super-rich to the disturbing rise of evictions and displacements from the city. It shows how the consequences of widening inequality have an impact on the urban landscape.

Rowland has also produced an excellent summary of the book detailing how you can become better informed and listing relevant information resources including Action on Empty Homes own 'Pretty Vacant' report

The Alpha City summary is available as a free downloadable pdf just click here (- you can also print this summary)

Rowland also has a great blog with more info and discussion here alphacity.blog

To buy this timely and highly readable book from Verso just click this direct link

Rowland Atkinson spoke live in our Public Meeting 'Empty Homes in the Alpha City' on Tuesday 21st July at 7pm: For more details click here

The meeting was livestreamed on YouTube

YOU CAN WATCH A RECORDING HERE https://youtu.be/93Mh6J9HHTg