A (not so) short history of Glencore.

I am not going to lie, for me The World for Sale was a long grind… but I made it to the end! Was it worth it? Yes - just not every page of it. Incredibly well documented, this book lifts the veil on a part of history that lies in the shadows. Unknown to you or me, the story of commodity traders is riddled with connivance and betrayals, not unlike a very dysfunctional family. It tells us something universal about ourselves, the temptation for greed, and its consequences in the face of society. Jacques Farchy and Javier Blas will change your perspective on modern history, shading a new light on some of the most familiar events of the 20th century. They open our eyes to the kind of influence that private entities exert on government, and the threat posed to populations as self-interest collides with power. This argument is illustrated times and times again as generations of traders bargain with natural resources on different parts of the globe. It’s not that the trading houses are inherently nefarious -they do provide outlets to countries that are outside of the financial system-, rather that they perpetuate toxic behaviors and a culture of secret that escapes government control.