Description
Book SynopsisAn in-depth history of how finance remade everyday life in Thatcher's Britain. Are We Rich Yet? tells the story of the financialization of British society. During the 1980s and 1990s, financial markets became part of daily life for many Britons as the practice of investing moved away from the offices of the City of London, onto Britain's high streets, and into people's homes. The Conservative Party claimed this shift as evidence that capital ownership was in the process of being democratized. In practice, investing became more institutionalized than ever in late-twentieth-century Britain: inclusion frequently meant tying one's fortunes to the credit, insurance, pension, and mortgage industries to maintain independence from state-run support systems. In tracing the rise of a consumer-oriented mass investment culture, historian Amy Edwards explains how the financial became such a central part of British society, not only economically and politically, but socially and culturally, to
Trade Review"One consequence of depicting neoliberalism as the product of a multifaceted process involving many actors and causal factors is that the prospect of undertaking meaningful reform starts to look daunting. But Edwards shows us that the central difficulty is a cultural one: we have been taught for many years to live our lives as consumers rather than citizens." * London Review of Books *
"Taken as a whole, Edwards’ reconnaissance into this area is a masterly mix of disciplines, approaches and sources that will reward many re-readings. The revolution of habits and outlooks that was the hallmark of the 1980s do require those sensitive cross-disciplinary approaches: Edwards shows others how it should be done." * Contemporary British History *
"This book is an excellent addition to the history of stock market investment in the UK during the past 50 or so years. It gives needed coverage to important but overlooked topics such as shareholder perks and OTC traders." * EH.net *
Table of ContentsContents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1. “A Wonderful Growth”: Investment Culture from 1840 to 1980
2. Over the Counter: Speculation and the Small Investor
3. Shopping for Shares: The Rise of Financial Consumerism
4. “The Moneymen’s Sunday Sermon”: The Making of a Mass-Market Financial Advice Industry
5. Yuppies: Finance and Investment in Popular Culture
6. Are We Rich Yet? Investment Clubs and Investor Activism
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
