The Looting Machine. Warlords, Tycoons, Smugglers and the Systematic Theft of Africa’s Wealth

Avoid «Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves» by Finding Your Voice Growing up in a family with significant wealth or a family business can often feel like an exercise in silence. What should you ask? Whom should you ask? When? Is it ever right to talk about such things? The Voice of the Rising Generation speaks directly to those who find themselves living in that silence, the so-called «next generation.» Great wealth or a family business can act like a «black hole,» sapping the dreams and aspirations of future generations who feel that they can never measure up to the fortune's founder. This book, written by a psychologist, an educator, and a wise counselor who single-handedly changed the landscape of family wealth, diagnoses with economy and precision the cause of entitlement and dependency. It is not too much money or too few chores. It is the failure of rising generations to individuate, that is, to pursue their dreams, develop their resilience, and find their voice. Many books are addressed to parents and grandparents who worry about the effects of wealth on their descendants. Almost alone in the field, this book speaks directly to 20-, 30- and 40-somethings, encouraging them—literally, giving them courage—to meet the challenge of integrating wealth's power into their lives, rather than disappearing into the black hole. Readers will: Come to understand the true causes of entitlement and dependency Identify the psychological characteristics of the rising generation and the challenges proper to its development Clarify their own dreams, work, and vocation Navigate personal relationships and communication within the context of wealth Recognize the special challenges faced when rising is delayed until mid-life. If you are a young person who is starting your life's journey and wondering about the effects of parental gifts, trusts, or a family business, this book will offer you questions, reflections, and lessons-learned to help you find your own way. If you are a parent, grandparent, elder, or mentor, The Voice of the Rising Generation can serve the young people in your life as a gift more precious than gold.

The incredible story of how Chiang Kai-shek's defeated army came to dominate the Asian drug trade After their defeat in China's civil war, remnants of Chiang Kai-shek's armies took refuge in Burma before being driven into Thailand and Laos. Based on recently declassified government documents, The Secret Army: Chiang Kai-shek and the Drug Warlords of the Golden Triangle reveals the shocking true story of what happened after the Chinese Nationalists lost the revolution. Supported by Taiwan, the CIA, and the Thai government, this former army reinvented itself as an anti-communist mercenary force, fighting into the 1980s, before eventually becoming the drug lords who made the Golden Triangle a household name. Offering a previously unseen look inside the post-war workings of the Kuomintang army, historians Richard Gibson and Wen-hua Chen explore how this fallen military group dominated the drug trade in Southeast Asia for more than three decades. Based on recently released, previously classified government documents Draws on interviews with active participants, as well as a variety of Chinese, Thai, and Burmese written sources Includes unique insights drawn from author Richard Gibson's personal experiences with anti-narcotics trafficking efforts in the Golden Triangle A fascinating look at an untold piece of Chinese—and drug-running—history, The Secret Army offers a revealing look into the history of one of the most infamous drug cartels in Asia.

The first complete look at one of America's legendary business leaders This groundbreaking biography by Kevin Maney, acclaimed technology columnist for USA Today, offers fresh insight and new information on one of the twentieth century's greatest business figures. Over the course of forty-two years, Thomas J. Watson took a failing business called The Computer-Tabulating-Recording Company and transformed it into IBM, the world's first and most famous high-tech company. The Maverick and His Machine is the first modern biography of this business titan. Maney secured exclusive access to hundreds of boxes of Watson's long-forgotten papers, and he has produced the only complete picture of Watson the man and Watson the legendary business leader. These uncovered documents reveal new information about how Watson bet the company in the 1920s on tabulating machines-the forerunners to computers-and how he daringly beat the Great Depression of the 1930s. The documents also lead to new insights concerning the controversy that has followed Watson: his suppos ed coll usion with Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. Maney paints a vivid portrait of Watson, uncovers his motivations, and offers needed context on his mammoth role in the course of modern business history. Jim Collins, author of the bestsellers Good to Great and Built to Last, writes in the Foreword to Maney's book: «Leaders like Watson are like forces of nature-almost terrifying in their release of energy and unpredictable volatility, but underneath they still adhere to certain patterns and principles. The patterns and principles might be hard to see amidst the melee, but they are there nonetheless. It takes a gifted person of insight to highlight those patterns, and that is exactly what Kevin Maney does in this book.» The Maverick and His Machine also includes never-before-published photos of Watson from IBM's archives, showing Watson in greater detail than any book ever has before. Essential reading for every businessperson, tech junkie, and IBM follower, the book is also full of the kind of personal detail and reconstructed events that make it a page-turning story for general readers. The Maverick and the Machine is poised to be one of the most important business biographies in years. Kevin Maney is a nationally syndicated, award-winning technology columnist at USA Today, where he has been since 1985. He is a cover story writer whose story about IBM's bet-the-company move gained him national recognition. He was voted best technology columnist by the business journalism publication TJFR. Marketing Computers magazine has four times named him one of the most influential technology columnists. He is the author of Wiley's MEGAMEDIA SHAKEOUT: The Inside Story of the Leaders and the Losers in the Exploding Communications Industry, which was a Business Week Bestseller. Residence: Clifton, VA. «Watson was clearly a genius with a thousand helpers, yet he managed to build an institution that could transcend the genius.» -from the Foreword by Jim Collins «Like all great biographers, Kevin Maney gives us an engaging story. . .his fascinating and definitive book about IBM's founder is replete with amazing revelations and character lessons that resonate today.» -Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School, bestselling author of Evolve! and When Giants Learn to Dance

For decades, a secret army of tax attorneys, accountants and wealth managers has been developing into the shadowy Wealth Defence Industry. These ‘agents of inequality’ are paid millions to hide trillions for the richest 0.01%. 

In this book, inequality expert Chuck Collins, who himself inherited a fortune, interviews the leading players and gives a unique insider account of how this industry is doing everything it can to create and entrench hereditary dynasties of wealth and power. He exposes the inner workings of these “agents of inequality”, showing how they deploy anonymous shell companies, family offices, offshore accounts, opaque trusts, and sham transactions to ensure the world’s richest pay next to no tax. He ends by outlining a robust set of policies that democratic nations can implement to shut down the Wealth Defence Industry for good. 

This shocking expos? of the insidious machinery of inequality is essential reading for anyone wanting the inside story of our age of plutocratic plunder and stashed cash.

Shareholder control over large corporations is worryingly weak and the unrestrained hunt for profits is taking a toll on the environment and society. In Corpocracy, corporate lawyer, venture capitalist, and shareholder activist Robert Monks reveals how corporations abuse their power and what we the people must do to rein them in. In a clear and careful analysis, Monks outlines a plan for reconciling the competing interests of corporations and society through thoughtful shareholder activism.

The guide to returning to a gold standard All that glitters is gold and gold has never glittered so much as it has in the last decade, reaching staggering new prices in recent years. The definitive modern argument to returning to a gold standard, The New Gold Standard succinctly and clearly explains the nature of sound money, the causes and cures of inflation and deflation, the importance of fiscal responsibility within a sound monetary system, and the reasons for recessions and depressions. Little has been written beyond academic histories of the gold standard, but gold standard expert Paul Nathan fills that void for the first time Written for beginning and professional investors, the book provides guidance on how a gold standard will strengthen the dollar, reduce debt, and help stabilize the economy, offering easily applied strategies for investing in gold now and in the future The degree of depressions and recessions and the boom bust cycle can be avoided with a sustainable, stable monetary policy The international return to gold is not a fad but a sign of a world in monetary transition As long as governments continue to print money and deficits continue to rise, gold will be a hot commodity. As inflation creeps up, more and more talk will turn to returning to some version of the gold standard, and The New Gold Standard is the first major work to explicitly address the challenges and benefits of such a move.

A passionate, detailed, quantified argument for state-level tax reform An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of States explains why eliminating or lowering tax burdens at the state level leads to economic growth and wealth creation. A passionate argument for tax reform, the book shows that even states with small populations can benefit enormously with the right policies. The authors’ detailed exposition evaluates the impact state and local government policies have on a state’s relative performance and economic growth overall, backed up with economic data and analysis. Facts don’t lie. But they do point clearly to the failure of so-called progressive tax schemes designed more to curry favor with selected constituencies than to create an economic system that leads to individual wealth as the reward for hard work and entrepreneurial risk taking. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of States is a detailed and critical look at income taxation across the nation, and drills down into an analysis of the economic growth or malaise that results from tax policy. Arguing eloquently that a state cannot tax itself into prosperity, just as the impoverished cannot spend themselves into wealth, the authors point out what many inherently know but often fear to say out loud. The book provides detailed quantitative analysis, and discusses the policy variables that can have enormous effects on the financial well-being of states and individual residents, such as: Personal and corporate income tax rates Total tax burden as a percentage of personal income Estate and inheritance taxes Right-to-work laws An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of States shows everyone how to evaluate state-level fiscal and economic policies to become more competitive.

The book of financial wisdom that your future self will thank you for reading For many adults under 40, 'debt' is a four-letter word—something that should be avoided but is all too often unavoidable. In The Value of Debt in Building Wealth, bestselling author Thomas J. Anderson encourages you to rethink that. You'll walk away from this book with an understanding of how you can use debt wisely to secure the financial future you envision for yourself and your family. Student loans, mortgages, lines of credit, and other forms of debt are all discussed in detail, with a focus on smart planning for those who are accumulating assets—and debt—now. Should you rent or buy? How important is liquidity? What is good versus bad debt? How much debt should you have? What debt-to-income and debt-to-asset ratios should you aim for? Fixed debt or floating debt? What's the best way of saving for college and retirement? These are big questions that deserve thorough answers because the choices you make now could influence the course of your life. This thought-provoking book will open your eyes to savvy financial strategies for achieving your goals faster and with healthier bank accounts. Explore strategies for smart debt management, explained by one of the nation's top financial advisors Gain an understanding of investment basics and key financial concepts you'll need to achieve your long-term goals Understand the risks of having debt and the potential risks of being debt-free Make financial decisions now that will maximize your wealth, freedom, and opportunity later This book is not about buying things you cannot afford. It is about liquidity, flexibility and optimizing your personal balance sheet. The Value of Debt in Building Wealth is full of ideas you can apply to your own situation—no matter what your current asset level. Read this book today and thank yourself later.

Stop procrastinating and become financially free, by building asset-based wealth and creating passive income. The Wealth Dragon Way: The Why, the When and the How to Become Financially Free is a practical guide to becoming financially free through building asset-based wealth and creating passive income. Part motivational, part informational, this guide will change your whole perspective on wealth and your personal growth potential. The book discusses both moral and monetary wealth, and looks at how we are easily misled and influenced by media-driven myths surrounding money, debunking notions such as the idea that there is no truly moral way to become wealthy, or the belief that the state will provide for us in retirement, and more. You'll discover new truths surrounding the subject of wealth, and get to the root of your own procrastination over planning for your financial future. You will learn how to tackle your fears and overcome the issues holding you back. You will also read real-life examples of how two property entrepreneurs built their significant portfolios using alternative strategies such as using lease options, and structuring and securing deals at below market value. Along the way, you'll learn what it means to become a Wealth Dragon, and the key principles to live by if you're ready to work towards achieving real financial freedom. You are far more likely to achieve personal wealth if you are one hundred percent clear as to why you want it. This book explores the psychology of our relationship with money and offers a practical advice for anyone who is determined to meet their goals and realize their dreams. Bust the myths surrounding the subject of wealth Start taking control of your financial future Adopt the key Wealth Dragon principles Discover your full potential for financial and personal growth The importance of taking control of your financial future cannot be overstated, especially in these economically uncertain times. Whether you want to quit the rat race, build some assets as security, or develop a branded business that will provide you with a passive income, The Wealth Dragon Way is your guide to building wealth and becoming financially free.

Take control of your financial future with expert guidance from wealth educators and property millionaires John Lee and Vincent Wong The Wealth Dragon Way is an essential guide to creating passive income, building property-based wealth, and achieving financial freedom. This inspiring and informative resource can help you define your financial goals and identify the steps you need to take to achieve them. Exploring common myths and misinformation surrounding wealth—such as “money is the root of all evil”—this book shows how overcoming fear and self-doubt can change the way you think about wealth and your potential for personal growth. Real-world examples illustrate how entrepreneurs can use alternative strategies to acquire properties below market value. Fully updated to reflect the current economic environment, this second edition includes the Top Ten Habits of Successful Wealth Dragons as well as new chapters on the foundations of true wealth and how to adopt abundance mentality. From expanded sections on multiple income streams to a more in-depth look at the psychology behind our approach to money, such as posing the question, “Is money your friend?,” this latest edition offers a roadmap to achieving infinite wealth. Knowing why you want to be wealthy increases your chances of becoming wealthy. This essential guide explores what lies beneath our relationship with money and offers practical methods to attain the freedom that monetary wealth affords and stresses the importance of having high moral wealth. Gain practical guidance delivered with an inspiring motivational message Learn how to define your goals and maximize your likelihood of success Explore the psychological patterns that prevent us from achieving our financial goals Overcome the obstacles standing in the way of your financial freedom It has never been more important to take control of your financial future. Uncertain economic futures, increasing healthcare costs, and unreliable retirement benefits are just a few reasons to start focusing on your financial future today. No matter what your ultimate goal is—whether you want to quit the daily grind, acquire assets for increased security, or build passive income streams to achieve true financial freedom—The Wealth Dragon Way shows you the best way to get there.