I liked this book and appreciate what is doing. Unfortunately a lot of this sailed passed me due to my own lack of prior knowledge about some less well known political figures and unfamiliarity and confusion with the many of names. I listened to it on audiobook. The premise of the book is pretty easy so it was nice to just sit back and enjoy the ride. I definitely got some things out of this book but I dont think I got everything. It is worth your time though. The mass corruption we face in the world today is terrifying. The author argues that the privatization of power is the ultimate goal behind efforts to launder and steal money from the commonwealth of humanity. ( )

Fascinating book about vast quantities of dirty money mostly out of Kazakstan and how it has corrupted the west. Even touches on Trumps financing. Unfortunately written by an anti capitalist, so despite being meticulously researched it doesn’t seem like the subject gets an even handed treatment. Doubly unfortunately, the reading is not first class either. Despite those short comings, it’s a good book, which I’d recommend. ( )

It's insane that we all agree to this. And we do. Did you vote Labour? Guess how Blair is making his money. Voted Conservative? Who let City of London continue without any change? And the worst thing about it is that we think it's bad, we just think the money stolen from other countries coming here is worth it. Keep voting. You think our politicians are any dumber than politicians in eastern Europe and can't figure out how to extract money from useful idiots? ( )

Every man lives his real, most interesting life under cover of secrecy
Anton Chekhov, The Lady with The Dog

An alternative way of depicting this book is that ruthless thieves rule us. I am confident I am correct in stating that kleptocratic states are becoming increasingly common.
I gained two extra terms. The first is ‘kleptocracy’. In a kleptocratic state, the ruler uses political authority to peddle the country’s resources for personal profit.
The second, is ‘kakistocracy’. I learned this word while researching kleptocracy. This a state or society governed by its least suitable or competent citizens. If you throw in the word autocracy, you will have a state ruled by one person who concentrates all power in himself/herself.

The secret of a great fortune with no apparent cause is a crime that has been forgotten because it was done properly
Honore de Balzac, Old Goriot
Tom Burgis has composed a work about kleptocracies. He has not mentioned kakistocracies, which is a pity. If you analyse this word seriously, you recognize that it is (at one level) related to kleptocratic states. I would state that kleptocracies, kakistocracies and autocracies are linked.
The writing is lively. There were occasions I had to warn myself that this is not a crime tale. Tom Burgis has depicted two kleptocratic situations—Africa and Kazakhstan/Ukraine.
Evidently, kleptocratic states are not new. In my considered view, we can characterize the escapades of people like Cecil Rhodes and King Leopold in the 19th century as kleptocratic behavior.
What is distinct between those times and our current days? Cecil Rhodes and King Leopold were not populists. Many of today’s corrupt leaders are populists. Populism usually rises when resentment and discontent sweep through society. There are many reasons for this, and this is not the place to plunge into this problem. However, Germany after World War I was ready for populism, as was India in 2012-2014. These are conditions in which a populist is most comfortable. He can manipulate the situation, present himself as a guardian angel, and then expels the established order. Yet, a populist creates an order that is worse than the one he supplanted.
Political power becomes concentrated in the grip of a few, and kleptocracy rules. A kleptocrat is ruthless. Tom Burgis has painted a highly authentic picture of this ruthlessness in the two cases that he presented in his book.


They did not have to knock too hard.’ The London bankers’ and lawyers’ private pursuits matched those of the oligarchs and their retinues. ‘The finest of the finest prostitutes. Any drug you want. Different batches of girls. Limitless money. Limitless.’
from Kleptopia. Tom Burgis

There is another contrast between the 19th century and our years. This is the international scale of the operation. Social media, and the internet has made both—propaganda and cash transfer—much simpler. I don’t know if international banks took a piece of the action in the 19th century, but they do now. The book is a dismal tale of corruption, avarice, cynicism and outright hypocrisy.

Nigel of Basingstoke tried to put himself inside a BSI client’s mind. ‘Why would I come to London to set up an
account in Switzerland in the name of a Cayman Islands entity with directors in Panama? Now, it makes
absolutely no sense unless there is something quite underhand going on.’
from Kleptopia. Tom Burgis
Tom Burgis presents us with two narratives. One is that of Nigel Wilkins of Basingstoke who tried, through his career, to piece together evidence against the corruption.
The other is the account of fraud in Ukraine/Kazakhstan and Africa. This is a tale of greed, cruelty and dictatorial power. The kleptocrats think nothing of torturing protestors and labelling them as anti-national. Neither do they think twice about celebrating ostentatiously while their citizens are infected with Ebola and die gruesome deaths.
In his last chapter, Tom gives us with a list of countries controlled by kleptocrats. The USA should thank itself that Donald Trump has been voted out of power. If not, it would have gone the way of the other countries. I am startled that he did not mention India. However, the situation in India may be distinctive in its own manner.
Nigel Wilkins died without being able to pursue justice to its bitter end.
Tom has weaved a compelling narrative of selfishness, corruption and exploitation of power
There is one deficiency in the book. The analysis is not deep enough. Earlier in this review, I mentioned kakistocracies and autocracies because I believe they are related.
Does democracy exist, except in name? Tom Burgis could have thrown some wisdom into these topics and the interdependences between them.
Putting this quibble aside, it is an exceptional book. We ought to be frightened. Most of us lead our lives in complacent bubbles of blissful ignorance.
Thieves rule us, and we vote them into power again and again.
This is an exceptional book—about racketeers and dupes. ( )