Financial capitalism and private equity - a new regime?

This introductory article reviews the key issues involved in the debate about the financialisation of the economy. It briefly describes a number of key features at the level both of national economies, such as the growth of the financial sector; and of individual firms, such as changes in the way profits are used. It discusses their interrelationships with outcomes such as increasing debt levels and rising inequality. The article then focuses on private equity, describing its business model, charting its rise in Europe, and reviewing the available evidence on the performance of the firms taken over by private equity folds and the pay, conditions and job prospects of the workers they employ. The article concludes by considering the implications of the current financial and economic crisis for the possible future development paths of financial capitalism.