Wolfson College
Cambridge, Cambridge CB3
UK
In this Book Colloquium, a panel of experts will discuss Timothy Kuhner’s critically acclaimed new book Capitalism v. Democracy: Money in Politics and the Free Market Constitution, before opening the discussion to all. Reserve your place by registering at the right of this page.
In America today, it costs approximately $1 billion to become president, $10 million to become a Senator, and $1 million to become a Member of the House. High-priced campaigns, an elite class of donors and spenders, and increasing corporate political power have become the new normal in American politics.
In Capitalism v. Democracy, Timothy Kuhner explains how these conditions have corrupted American democracy and capitalism, creating a system of rule that favours the wealthy and marginalizes ordinary citizens. The Supreme Court has brought about this corruption by striking down campaign finance reforms that limited the role of money in politics.
Exposing the extreme economic worldview that pollutes constitutional interpretation, Kuhner shows how the Court became the architect of American plutocracy. He argues that nothing short of a constitutional amendment can set the necessary boundaries between capitalism and democracy.