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The problem of rent is at the root of vital social concerns in the twenty-first century, ranging from the climate emergency and spiralling economic inequality to the repercussions of global economic crises. But while many of us may be familiar with rent (especially paying it), how should we really understand it?
Examining both concrete contexts and complex concepts, in this book Joe Collins provides a comprehensive but concise survey of the theories and debates over rent and rentier capitalism. He examines global gentrification from São Paolo to Dublin, the tyranny of technology from Taipei to San Francisco, and the excesses of extractivism from Sekondi to Karratha. In doing so, he reveals how rent is fundamental to the current dominant form of capitalist social organization across the globe and how we can prevent the next generation from seeing our societies rent asunder.
An essential resource for students and scholars alike, this groundbreaking book will be of interest to anyone working on capitalism, property, political economy, economic sociology and contemporary politics.
List of contents
Chapter 1 - What is rent?
Chapter 2 - Rent theory in historical perspective
Chapter 3 - Mainstream rent theory
Chapter 4 - Rent theory in modern political economy
Chapter 5 - Why is rent important today?
Notes
References
About the author
Joe Collins is a lecturer in Political Economy at the University of Sydney.
Summary
The problem of rent is at the root of vital social concerns in the twenty-first century, ranging from the climate emergency and spiralling economic inequality to the repercussions of global economic crises. But while many of us may be familiar with rent (especially paying it), how should we really understand it?
Examining both concrete contexts and complex concepts, in this book Joe Collins provides a comprehensive but concise survey of the theories and debates over rent and rentier capitalism. He examines global gentrification from São Paolo to Dublin, the tyranny of technology from Taipei to San Francisco, and the excesses of extractivism from Sekondi to Karratha. In doing so, he reveals how rent is fundamental to the current dominant form of capitalist social organization across the globe and how we can prevent the next generation from seeing our societies rent asunder.
An essential resource for students and scholars alike, this groundbreaking book will be of interest to anyone working on capitalism, property, political economy, economic sociology and contemporary politics.
Report
'From twenty-first-century techno-patents to landlord sex scams, rentier capitalism tightens its grip on everyday life. In this short book, Joe Collins unpacks the multiple meanings of rent as these evolved through traditional economics to contemporary political economy. A lucid and compassionate account.'
Ariel Salleh, Global University for Sustainability, Hong Kong
'As rents become ever more important and rentiers become ever more powerful, this book provides an important theoretical underpinning to the idea of rent as a cause and consequence of monopoly. Contemporary capitalism cannot be understood without this.'
Jayati Ghosh, University of Massachusetts Amherst
