{"product_id":"burned-by-billionaires-how-concentrated-wealth-and-power-are-ruining-our-lives-and-planet-hardcover","title":"Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eChuck Collins\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA scathing exposé of the hidden impact of America's ultra wealthy on our social, economic, political, and ecological landscape--as well as a path toward a more equitable future\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The three hundred largest yachts in the world emit as much carbon dioxide as the ten million inhabitants of Burundi.\" --from \u003cem\u003eBurned by Billionaires\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecently, it has become increasingly evident that extreme concentrations of wealth and power have profound impacts on our politics, but extreme inequality's influence on our daily lives--and our futures--has been vastly overlooked. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eBurned by Billionaires\u003c\/em\u003e, author and a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, Chuck Collins chronicles how the actions of the top .01% have severe consequences for the rest of us, especially those of marginalized identities. Collins takes down the \"myth of meritocracy,\" unraveling how the rich rig the game in their favor, resulting in a concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny (but growing) class of billionaires--leading to both intense income and political polarization. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn a wholly original argument, Collins charts this economic, social, and ecological destruction and shows how these effects manifest in every facet of our society, including: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncreasing the tax burden on ordinary working people\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReducing public funding for schools, roads, and other essential infrastructure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShrinking the pool of affordable housing, especially in poor and urban areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccelerating climate change and dictating what ends up on our dinner plate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShaping the news we consume and fueling the spread of misinformation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollins argues that perhaps, worst of all, the concentration of wealth and power is leading to political hijacking, undermining the democratic principle that our votes matter equally. Full of engrossing charts, graphs, political cartoons, and more, this book is an urgent call-to-action and road map to a more equitable society, where everyone has access to the resources that will allow them to thrive--and one where it is no longer commonplace to live in a constant state of uncertainty, fear, and anxiety \u003cem\u003eBurned by Billionaires\u003c\/em\u003e offers a pointed prescription for taking power back from the billionaire class and achieving the shared prosperity that comes from a healthy and equal society.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChuck Collins\u003c\/b\u003e is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies where he coedits Inequality.org. He is the author of several books, including \u003cem\u003eBorn on Third Base\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Wealth Hoarders\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWealth and Our Commonwealth\u003c\/em\u003e (with Bill Gates Sr), and \u003cem\u003e Economic Apartheid in America\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eBurned by Billionaires\u003c\/em\u003e (both from The New Press). He lives in Vermont.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 240\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.87 x 8.5 x 5.51 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 07, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52689506926925,"sku":"9781620979099","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0927\/3304\/7117\/files\/1ePNH8PqDE9781620979099.webp?v=1761978047","url":"https:\/\/belfastbooks.us\/products\/burned-by-billionaires-how-concentrated-wealth-and-power-are-ruining-our-lives-and-planet-hardcover","provider":"belfastbooks.us","version":"1.0","type":"link"}