Giants: The Global Power Elite

by Peter Phillips

A look at the top 300 most powerful players in world capitalism, who are at the controls of our economic future.Who holds the purse strings to the majority of the world's wealth? There is a new global elite at the controls of our economic future, and here former Project Censored director and media monitoring sociologist Peter Phillips unveils for the general reader just who these players are. The book includes such power players as Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Jamie Dimon, and Warren Buffett.     As the number of men with as much wealth as half the world fell from sixty-two to just eight between January 2016 and January 2017, according to Oxfam International, fewer than 200 super-connected asset managers at only 17 asset management firms—each with well over a trillion dollars in assets under management—now represent the financial core of the world's transnational capitalist class. Members of the global power elite are the management—the facilitators—of world capitalism, the firewall protecting the capital investment, growth, and debt collection that keeps the status quo from changing. Each chapter in Giants identifies by name the members of this international club of multi-millionaires, their 17 global financial companies—and including NGOs such as the Group of Thirty and the Trilateral Commission—and their transnational military protectors, so the reader, for the first time anywhere, can identify who constitutes this network of influence, where the wealth is concentrated, how it suppresses social movements, and how it can be redistributed for maximum systemic change.

Genres: Politics, Economics, Nonfiction, History, Sociology, Finance

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2018

Reviews

[Kaelan Ratcliffe ▪ كايِلان راتكِليف · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facing The Juggernaut

Update: Please check out Abby Martins Empire Files on YouTube for an excellent documentary piece on this book as an introduction to the topic.

This book has left me completely speechless. I honestly implore you to stop and consider this as your next read. I've read a lot of books that attempt to explain what's happening to our world right now; some really good ones at that. However, Giants is simply off the charts in comparison to anything else I've looked at.

This is a deep, penetrative, sociological analysis of the institutions that run our world. Not only that, but this book explains how all these institutions are connected, and bound together through a common shared purpose and interest. Here's the clincher; I have never read something that explains the above as thoroughly, and clearly as this text does. This could be handed off to a ten year old and, with enough concentration and patience, they'd grasp what's happening in our world as a result.

This is the book you use to show your family and friends what the actual structure of the world is composited of. Peter Philips should be given a goddamn award for this masterpiece. Anyone can pick it up and understand it; it's that clear in it's analysis. Not only that, this text names names. It describes exactly who runs the biggest institutions in the world; how they are all connected; what corporate boards they are on; who else they're invested in; how they function as social class due to their shared environmental interests ; their beliefs as to how the world should be run.

Finally, Giants explains how the current system we run on is so all encompassing, so bound to the fabric of society, that it's impossible to see it unless we take a 'step back' analysis. This book acts as a spiritual sequel to the 1940 Power Elite C. Wright Mills wrote, and he would have been so proud.

Philips concludes here that capital penetration has grown so much, that a new capital class can be defined as The Transnational Capitalist Class , and the world these people have created has gone so far down the rabbit hole, that- and this explanation chilled me to the core - capital has complete free movement. So much so, that it is actively encouraged in the extreme, due to the fact that this is what must happen for the system to function. BUT, the various populations of the planet, on the otherhand, are actively limited to single areas (nations) through various control mechanisms that have existed since the creation of the nation state. In short, capitlaism has evolved outside of the nation state -ironic as the nation state itself came to exist because of capitalisms development - but the people it exploits are kept, usefully, within this social structure.

There's a name Philips gives this:

Population containment zones.

Certain excuses, like perpetuating the idea of someone's identity being attached to a nation, are used to justify this hollowed corpse of a nation state system, which, in reality, no longer function. These nations are controlled by raw, market based capital interests. Other mechanisms, such as the media (and Philips dedicates a whole chapter to PR firms and corporate media) are used also to distract people, as well as encourage them to continue "buying" into the system through physical purchases, as well as mental acceptance.

In other words, as capital accrues at the top 0.0001% of society, then said capital must be re-invested somewhere else (otherwise the system stalls), as such, the "masters of mankind" seek to continuously open new markets for exploitation, and de-regulation, to ensure the continuation of the system. This is achieved by creating markets previously held by the public commons (healthcare, water, transport); markets with low-risk investment, big return opportunities (war, security and surveillance) and markets that can sustain the system in the short term. Any other excuses given for this reality (privatisation is logical, spreading democracy to other countries through war), are just that; excuses. They obfuscate the actual reality of our global situation.

As such, the system INCENTIVESES, ENCOURAGES, and REQUIRES that these institutional owners consistently destabilise parts of the world through war and regime changes to allow capital penetration, and constantly opening up new markets. They do this by using government apparatuses, and military institutions (covert and overt) to "deal" with any country that deviates from this line of thought.

If any of the above perked your interest then trust me, this book will. Knock. You. Flat.

[Nidhal Ben Tahar]

How interesting to see most of the listed booksellers censoring this book. It only made me want to read it more.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

These 199 people share a common goal of maximum return on investments for themselves and their clients by any means necessary, legal or not. They control all of the instruments through which their policies are implemented. This list does not include Bezos, Gates, Buffett, Kock, Walton, Rothschild or Rockefeller. The CEO"s of Blackrock, JP Morgan Chase and Barclays, to name a few, may not be as wealthy but they yield far more power because of their positions and connections with the global elite.

Capital investment in tobacco products, weapons of war, toxic chemicals, pollution and other socially destructive goods and services are judged purely by their profitability.

The real purpose for the war on terror is dollar hegemony and access to oil. It has nothing to do with repressing terrorism which it generates, perpetuates and finances to provide cover for its real agenda.

Nothing on the agenda of the International Monetary Conference seems to address the socioeconomic consequences of investments of determine the impacts on people and the environment.

The United States has more than 800 military bases in 70 countries and territories. War provides investment opportunity and a guaranteed return on capital. War also serves a repressive function of keeping the suffering masses of humanity afraid and compliant.

The world is facing economic crisis and the solution is to spend less on human needs and more on security.

It is a world of permanent war, spending for destruction requires further spending to rebuild, a cycle that profits global networks of economic power.

The death and destruction inflicted by elites is highly profitable, centuries old and ongoing.

[Epimetheus Xaaji · Rating 5 out of 5]

"With money comes power".

This book sheds light on the richest men in the world, and how they use their riches to advance their agendas often at the expense of others.

Brilliant book.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The system is rigged"

Whatever you do, do not read this book if you wish to hold on to the lie that you are a free, autonomous individual living in a free, democratic society.
Because if you do read this book, you will have to face the undeniable reality that George Carlin
outlined in his stand-up routine about not voting, that the corporations "Own you. They own you and don't give a fuck about you."

Phillips tackles the network of the Global Power Elite, from the 17 investment banking institutions that manage the world's wealth, to the "think-tank" groups that develop capitalist policy, to the private security forces waging war in the name of protecting the elite's interests, to the global media powerhouses that promulgate capitalist propaganda, this is a closed system of relationships, with investment banks investing in other investment banks, with networks of relationships in a very small group of people. Less than 400 to be exact.
"This wealth is being used for the economic colonization and privatization of the public commons in complete disregard for human rights. Privatized wealth is being used to buy ideologies, governments, law enforcement, covert activities, wars-and ultimately human beings. The direction we are headed in is the complete destruction of governmental democracies, personal freedoms, privacy, and the economic survival of billions of people around the world."

Phillips names names. You won't be surprised to see the lists dominated by mostly white males of European descent. You won't be surprised to read that Presidents appoint these people to their cabinets and advisory boards.

It's rigged. And anyone who believes an election makes a difference e does not see the strings being pulled by a few hundred people, no matter who is in the White House or the Prime Minister's office.

Your illusions will suffer if you read this, so of course I recommend it highly.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this powerful and enlightening book that explains so much of how our country and the world is run. Details the map of who sets domestic and especially foreign policy, controls news media, private military and much more. Spoiler alert, none of these policies are controlled by the people we elect of office; they are merely the "hired help". Our POTUS, HR, and Senate get guidance, direction, and financing from these Global Power Elite. I urge you to read this one for a better understanding of our world.

[Lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. This book, once read, is an incredible tool in navigating the world at larger. Knowing how interconnected the "ruling class" is from giant corporations to government to public relations firms to military groups. Keeping this information in mind is a wonderful weapon in your knowledge arsenal.

[k-rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd really like to give this book a couple more stars, it's deserving of such on so many fronts. There clearly was a tremendous research effort behind the book, and the goal of shining a light on the custodians of a large chunk of world's capital is not only commendable, but necessary. My struggle with the book was twofold.

First, the data in the book - long form lists of people, companies and links between them, is not served well in long form printed text. In fact, the work of Mark Lombardi, in particular his book Global Networks, would serve as a fascinating foundation for the data in Giants. There's a lot of overlap in these two works, and anyone finding their way to Giants would be well served to investigate the work of Mark Lombardi. This data really needs some sort of searchable, sort-able, query-able interface (I couldn't find a corresponding website for the book; if it doesn't exist then we would all be well served if someone created it), or a visual graph in the style of Mark Lombardi.

Second, it felt like the analysis and narrative presented around the investigation into the entelechy of global capital was only skimming the surface. This is a tough criticism because it's so obviously challenging, but I found myself wanting more throughout the book. Having said this, the book did illustrate just how interlinked global capital is, and this is something that is rarely given consideration. For example, the investments of BlackRock overlap significantly with the investments of Vanguard, JP Morgan, etc.

Kudos to the author for an accurate accounting of global capital circa 2017. I'm eager to read more, and would encourage Peter Phillips to write a follow up that provides a deeper analysis of the motivations behind the machinations of global capital.

[Trashpanda95 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tolle Aufarbeitung der eigentlichen Machtinhaber unserer Erde. Die reichsten Menschen und deren Interkonnektivität untereinander sowie deren Einfluss und Machtstrukturen werden hier ohne großen Bias systematisch aufgedeckt. Leider verfällt es immer mal wieder in den Tonus, dass der Kapitalismus in der jetzigen Form ohne weiteres reformierbar sei, sofern genug Menschen der ungerechten Verteilung von Wohlstand und Ressourcen bewusst sind. Am Ende noch ein Brief der an die Superreichen gerichtet ist, in dem auf der ersten Seite erst Mal deren Fleiß und Erfolg gepriesen werden und dann höflich gebeten wird, dass sie doch ihr Geld bitte netterweise gerechter verteilen sollen, nachdem in den vorangegangenen 200 Seiten quasi jegliche Gräueltaten, Manipulationsversuche, Menschenrechtsverletzungen und Steuerhinterziehungen fast aller Beteiligten beleuchtet wurden.

[Irma · Rating 5 out of 5]

an extraordinary book that goes in debt and explains to the everyday person just how much the world is intertwined and connected-especially the rich people of this world. While reading it, I was very shocked to find out just how much the ''big companies'' invest in other big companies that don't have anything to do with them.

[Rudyard L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could be an absolutely fascinating book and covers a lot of material that’s incredibly important that normal people should know about. What it turns into is a list of people to shoot if you are an anarchist. There’s not really any analysis behind it

[Peter Bruno]

Giving this book a five star rating for the scope of its investigation, not because it is a perfect document by any means. To echo some other reviewers, there is a bit of repetition in this book, but I got the sense that this had more to do with being able to individually share chapters without having to assign an entire 300+ page book.

However, I believe that this book is better served as a starting point rather than an end point. In other words, this is a great book for researchers and folks who are looking to dive deeper into the specifics of how the transnational capitalist class functions, without necessarily knowing where to start/focus. Chances are, depending on what your areas of interests are, there will be some facet of empire this will lead you down a rabbit hole towards for your own investigations (there about 20 pages of notes and citations in the back). To its credit, the book is surprisingly accessible.

Where the book really shines, in my opinion, is demystifying a lot of complex theory by making global capitalism’s inner workings tangible and knowable (similar to something like Inventing Reality by Michael Parenti, who offers a quote inside the cover). Phillips does a pretty good job of humanizing these individuals within the larger systems they manage and operate, simultaneously not treating them as blameless cogs in the machine nor as uniquely evil or cartoonish villains (though some themselves may be).

Because of when this book was published in 2018, it also serves as an interesting historical document, vibe-wise. You can almost feel a real mental schism emerging in the transition from the Obama years into the Trump era, a sort of relic of consciousness that is almost hard to recall with the “new normal” of Covid-19 in the United States.

While some reviewers have critiqued this book as being conspiratorial, my real frustration with the book is almost the opposite, the idea that with all of this being true, that we can somehow make normative appeals towards the better humanity of the ruling class. In the face of all the evidence presented, I’m not sure how you’d expect this class to relinquish their power by asking nicely. If anything, that is the portion of the book that doesn’t seem to have as much evidence. Perhaps this line of discourse is required to get a book like this published, I don’t know. Before anyone in the replies accuses me of advocating for violence or something, I think the same critique could be applied in the case of advocating for non-violent civil disobedience, in that it’s not about appealing to the humanity of the ruling class, it is about making direct demands.

* I would not recommend this as an audiobook, since much of the chapters feature indexes and glossaries. *

[Devin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in knowing how the world works this is required reading.

[Devin Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explores the interconnected 389 ppl who manage the wealth of the world. 199 companies responsible for climate change, 90% of the economy and 41 trillion dollars together

[Ernest Ogu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using an analogy here, it presents what a website developer would say is the contrast between frontend and backend. in other words, who really runs the world. The author presented in vivid details how much fortunes are being controlled by a handful number of coperations, which people are involved, intrinsic practices of wealth management and the power they behest in most world organisation. it goes even further to show how these establishments closely do business with one another...

it is simply a good read irrespective of your propensity in geopolitics and world economy

[Sindy Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book studies an important topics: how a small number of powerful elites in sectors like finance, policy, media, and the military have an outsized (and often negative) impact on the world.

I think the main strength is the biographical information collected on these individuals which seems like a valuable contribution.

The main limitation I’d say is the weakness of the analysis especially compared to the grandiose claims made in the book. The author often claims that these elites influence the world in ways that aren’t obvious (i.e. apart from directly influence they have via their own sectors, for instance private sector players shaping government policies and military actions) while failing to establish these convincingly. For instance, the author seems to believe that policy making and military actions in e.g. the US mostly aim to maximize financial returns for these power elites but fails to concretely demonstrate this — and personally I disagree with this view: the influence of power elites is definitely one ingredient into policy making and military decisions, but I think it’s implausible that it’s the only or dominant factor (based on my reading of e.g. Obama’s memoir, assuming that has a good representation of US policy making). Therefore I think the book has fallen into three (interrelated) failure modes that many authors have:

1. Making grandiose claims without sufficient supporting evidence (Note: granted, establishing any causality in this kind of topic is super hard, but at least we could a) have more concrete case studies, b) make weaker claims given the inherent elusive nature of evidence)

2. Being emotionally upset at these power elites (as reflected in emotionally charged words used to describe them) => making negative claims about them without enough substantiation (Note: I’m upset at them too, but I don’t think this is good practice for scholarly work)

3. Having one potentially valid theory but exaggerating its importance, e.g. making claims that sounds like this is the only/most important factor

In sum I think the book makes a good contribution to factual knowledge by providing painstakingly collected biographical info, and is probably onto something in discussing the outsized and often negative impact these global elites have on the world, but the analysis in establishing this impact is fairly weak and exaggerated. Worth a read but take his analysis with a grain of salt!

I’d love to see work along these lines that have more concrete evidence (which given the topic is most likely case studies), and work that’s more rigorous and careful and makes claims that we can trust.

[Predrag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for everyone. In today's consumerist and sensational culture very few people care about who is pulling the strings and deciding our future for the most. Mostly people tend to believe in various conspiracies and we vs. them theories, but the truth is much more sublime and dirty. Largest global banks, investment companies and corporations are the institutions which serve as decision making centers with the help of global institutions such as: IMF, WTO, ATLANTIC COUNCIL, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, BILDERBERG GROUP, TRILATERAL COMMISSION, WORKS BANK, and meny others. We are coming to the brink of global catastrophe, risking chaos on the basis of climate change and global warming, radicalisation of global population by the means of populism and corporate media, desease, nuclear war, food and water scarcity and AI robotics taking control over resources. WE NEED TO ACT NOW!

[Strong Extraordinary Dreams · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's really just a list of the (acknowledged) richest people with some facts about each of them. Probably unsatisfying as a printed book; I did it as an audiobook so it really didn't work.

You know, there's no overall analysis or integration. And a few "we must" or "the future of the planet depends" or "they (the elite) must understand that . . . ", all of which are complete bullshit. The rich will do what they please and humans and other species are just going to have to cope (or not) the best (or worst) they can.

Would have been three-stars for a well meaning, information filled but ultimately boring and disorganized book. Minus one star for utterly asinine calls to action against the visible and invisible rulers of the planet (I mean, get a fucking clue).

[Ruthie]

Here’s a useful reference guide for the present structure of the Transnational Capitalist Class. The organizations and especially the individuals will change slightly, but this is how it works. You’ll see several of the 389 names repeatedly - Thiel, Dimon, Fink, Geitner, et al. - but many of these people you would never have heard of, yet they retain incredible powers to influence all of our lives. Since the ranks of the organizations change somewhat, this reference guide is probably already outdated, but it is a good starting point for mapping out the world’s power structures. I recommend getting this book in electronic form so you can search terms and names in the text.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost like a phone book. If you think the idea that a small group of a few hundred people pretty much run the world (I guess the globalised parts) is some laughable conspiracy theory you should maybe have a look at this book. Although, even if you do most of this will probably not be a big surprise.

[Mario D'Andreta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fondamentale per capire meglio come funziona il potere oggi. Chi e dove detiene il potere decisionale sulle politiche globali, e come provare a fare qualcosa per cambiare questa situazione insostenibile.

[Aniket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Controversial, sometimes extreme in its opinion but brave and red-pilling. I agree with the main idea of the book. But it should have had more content on case studies explaining how TCC have used their capital and influence to facilitate injustice and suffering.

[Anil D · Rating 1 out of 5]

This Book feels like reading a list of big institutions and companies names. Not much of analysis or reasoning going on. Just pick up a big well known name, list it out and claim it is as part of global power elite.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read more like a reference book - a solid chunk of the book just listed the most wealthy people and companies in the world. I'm not sure what the author intended to accomplish by providing a hundred random names or so to me. If the author wanted his readers to investigate and do a biography on each of those names than his efforts were thoroughly wasted. For the causal reader, this book was not for me.

I hoped that the book would end on some sort of resolution or had some plan to end wealth inequality, but in the final chapter, the author clearly stated that he had no practical solution.

Some of the concepts that were introduced were thought-provoking, such as how the rich and government and the media were all in bed together, but that was hardly groundbreaking. I think the book would have served a better purpose if it had in the title: "An Introduction to the Global Power Elite."

[Victor Lally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a clear and accessible style. Essential reading for anyone trying to live in this world. not easy to get this information anywhere else. Also see Abby Martin's interview of the author on her Media Roots website. Then read the book!

[Alex Frame · Rating 3 out of 5]

A list of the known wealthiest people and most powerful companies and organisations but stops short at mentioning the owners of the Federal Reserve and its subsidiaries the families and individuals who are are the true powerbrokers in this world.

[Kzaman Amit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned how global propaganda model works. Its a monopoly business of global elites. They may have clashes or different point of views. But on the capitalism side, they have same interests. But this book is more like a research paper. Readers may find it boring.

[Leon Lahoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

biggest problem with this book is that it is light on content. mostly a list of the elites and what they do, which the reader usually skips.

[Mayur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!
Open your eyes and see what's happening..

[JayP · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book.