Bean Counters: The Triumph of the Accountants and How They Broke Capitalism

The world’s ‘Big 4’ accountancy firms – PwC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG – have become a gilded elite. Up in the high six figures, an average partner salary rivals that of a premier league footballer. But how has the seemingly humdrum profession of accountancy got to this level? And what is the price we pay for their triumph? Leading investigative journalist and former senior tax inspector Richard Brooks offers a ground-breaking exposé of the accountancy industry and its secret rise to vast global influence. Charting the profession’s history from humble agrarian beginnings to its underappreciated role in the financial crash of 2008, Brooks explores how the industry hides behind its ‘boring’ image to ruthlessly exploit the financial system which depends on it.