Alpha City: How London was captured by the super-rich
This event has taken place
View all upcoming events at Kingston University.
Time: 3.00pm - 4.00pm
Price:
free
The Political Economy Research Group (PERG) at Kingston University explores the dynamics of accumulation, distribution, and conflict in its new online summer seminars. Join us and our great line-up of speakers for our live web events!
This week we welcome Rowland Atkinson (University of Sheffield).
How London was bought and sold by the Super-Rich, and 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.
Once registered, you will be emailed with a link to the webinar platform 2 hours prior the event, and again 10 minutes before the event begins. You do not need an account to view.
For further information about this event:
Contact: Dr Rex McKenzie
Email: R.McKenzie@kingston.ac.uk