A Columbia Law School professor explains how middlemen have taken control of the economy, how they enrich themselves at the expense of consumers, the environment and workers, and how people can harness the power of direct exchange to make themselves happier and the planet healthier. Over the past thirty years, middlemen have built intricate financial and retail empires capable of moving goods across the country and around the world-transforming the economy and our lives. Because of middlemen, investors and consumers enjoy an unprecedented degree of choice and convenience. But, the rise of the middleman economy comes at a steep price. Middlemen today shape what people do, how they invest, and what they consume. They use their troves of data to push people to buy more, and more expensive, products. They use their control over critical infrastructure to suppress innovation and competition. They use their massive profits and expertise to lobby lawmakers, further tilting the playing field in their favor. Drawing on a decade of research, Kathryn Judge shows how overgrown middlemen became the backbone of modern capitalism and the cause of many of its ailments. Judge also shows how to fight back-go to the source. Direct exchange fosters connection and community and helps promote a more just, resilient, and accountable economic system. As she reveals in this much-needed book, direct exchange is both the cornerstone of the solution and a tool for revealing just how much is at stake in decisions about "through whom" to buy, invest and give.
