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Vassal State

How America Runs Britain

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Vassal State

By: Angus Hanton
Narrated by: Hugh Kermode
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About this listen

British politicians love to vaunt the benefits of the UK's supposed 'special relationship' with the US. But are we really America's economic partner - or its colony?

Vassal State lays bare the extent to which US corporations own and control Britain's economy: how American business chiefs decide what we're paid, what we buy, and how we buy it. US companies have carved up Britain between them, siphoning off enormous profits, buying up our most lucrative firms and assets, and extracting huge rents from UK PLC - all while paying little or no tax. Meanwhile, policymakers, from Whitehall mandarins to NHS chiefs, shape their decisions to suit the whims of our American corporate overlords.

Based on his 40 years of business experience, devastating new research, and interviews with the major players, Angus Hanton exposes why Britain has become the poor transatlantic relation - and what we can do to change it.

©2024 Angus Hanton (P)2024 Swift Press Audio Politics & Government Business

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Most relevant  
Littered with well exampled contradictions of US monopoly foreign taxation. Struck that $4 billion of artwork leaves the UK every year.

Incredible insight into the pillaging of the UK

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It is a surprisingly listenable summary of who owns which popular brands today on our supermarket shelves in our country—and much more. There’s lots of good information laid out here about the recent sell-off to private equity. I found this useful for understanding where we are in Britain today, and I think the details of the problems this causes are actually quite well observed.

To benefit from all this nicely written research, you have to wade through his breathtaking mainstream views given his understanding of the ownership and control by oligarchs and multinationals.
He teeth-scrapingly gushes about the potential of the Oxford vaccine.

He goes heavy on criticism of Trump. Fine. But this could surely mislead readers into supposing things were much different under Obama or practically every other US administration in recent times.

He concludes we have been governed by those who have been "naive" and "indifferent" about who owns British business and gets government contracts. Our politicians are apparently "misguided" in their devotion to their ideas. I'm afraid it is growing ever more pathetic and insufferable yet again to be presented with these kinds of explanations when far more cynical ones are surely now appropriate.

An intelligent investigation by a seemingly gullible author.

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I think the author illustrates clearly what money and power can achieve. I assume historically this is nothing new, but is now affecting Britain. I am not sure if this country will become a state of America or/and a playground for the rich? Time will tell!

An interesting book looking at how one country can have influence over another.

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I enjoyed this book and the points made on the following topics:
+ Abject failure of successive Tory and Labour governments to protect British interests.
+ Government policy of subservience to the US.
+ Foreign Direct Investment treated as if it is always good, even when it is really asset stripping by private equity firms.
+ HMRC taxation policy making it harder to start companies and taxing British companies more when operating than when they are sold off.
+ Comparison with German and French corporate board strategy, with employees getting a say on whether the company gets sold to Private Equity and representations of local and national strategic interest.

I was not so keen on some of Hanton's left-leaning, political opinions, e.g. general pro-EU statements - noting that the EU would protect the UK from US corporate take-overs, but neglecting to mention large take-overs by companies from EU states like EDF; comment that President Trump is "capricious", which is a misrepresentation, i.e. one could argue that Trump's policies are consistent with his own political beliefs, just not with preceding US governments.
However, despite this minor gripe, and occasional jarring political opinions, this is a great book.

Great Summary of UK Vassalage to Foreign Interests

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The war is lost! The dam is broken. The U.K. is nothing more that another US State (albeit with a ‘democracy and armed forces’ the US control). Excellent, great book. An illuminating light on how American Corporations are buying up Britain and their politicians, to shape Britain’s corporate laws in their favour. Literally parts of every single transaction a U.K. company makes some of the proceeds heads to the US. It’s very well laid out, and i just don’t think most people (certainly I was not) at just how Britain has lost sovereignty over its share/company ownership, trade laws, and such like - right under most people’s noses. Certainly re-enforces my conviction that the only stocks worth owning are META, AMZN, MSFT, and GOOG. They are almost unstoppable and will dominate the next decade with existing services we are all ‘stuck’ too, plus the next wave of Cloud, and AI.

Illuminating. Every Brit must read !!!

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Brilliant. Powerful. Terrifying. This excellent and pioneering analysis proves what I feared about Brexit and why I voted Remain. Britain demoted itself from a position of influence in the largest single market to a Costa Rica in the global American market. No offence to Costa Rica intended.

why is no one talking about this?

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we have the IP we have the finance
but we systemically sell off to foreign countries ?
this has to change now .
debt inequality is the symptom .
foreign equity companies are the disease.

every british citizen/patriot must read

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In *Vassal State, Angus Hanton delivers a sharp and incisive critique of the UK's relationship with the US, challenging the notion of a 'special relationship' and revealing a stark reality: Britain as an economic vassal to American interests. Through a blend of personal experience, rigorous research, and compelling interviews, Hanton lays bare how US corporations have come to dominate the British economy, dictating everything from wages to consumer choices.

The audiobook is rich with insights, showcasing the ways in which American business leaders have strategically acquired British assets and profits while often avoiding their fair share of taxes. Hanton’s thorough analysis highlights the implications of this dynamic, particularly on policymakers who seem to operate under the influence of their American counterparts.

While I found the content both enlightening and thought-provoking, I did feel that some sections were a bit padded out. Certain arguments could have been more concise, which would have sharpened the overall impact of Hanton's insights. The pacing occasionally slowed, detracting from the urgency of the book's important message.

Overall, Vassal State is a compelling listen that sheds light on a critical issue facing the UK today. Hanton’s call to action is both timely and necessary, making this book a valuable addition to the discourse on economic sovereignty. Despite some moments of excess, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the intersection of politics and economics.

The Cost of “Special”

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Very well laid out view on the UK current predicament. This book beautifully takes us through all parts of UK policy from healthcare, defence HMRC and UK intellectual property and how the US is controlling us by its so called special relationship. Unfortunately, I don’t see the UK political landscape changing to take us out of the US corporate buyout noose with its two party system. Angus’s views on other topics I checked out on-line, before I bought this book shows a person who really cares about the UK and highlights the inequalities in our society. I very much respect the well thought out opinions and arguments. This book is a must read, especially before the UK elections, to form an informed view before voting.

We are up the creek without a paddle

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Very interesting but depressing in equal measure. Definitely worth a listen if you don’t mind getting annoyed.

The premise

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