Privatising humanity. How our essential human needs became financial assets

Kate Bayliss provides a compelling examination of how financial interests transform essential human needs into investment assets. We find ourselves in an age where financial exploitation is increasing at an unprecedented pace. Armed with substantial resources, global financiers are continuously searching for new avenues to turn a profit. Every aspect of our lives becomes a potential target for monetization. In her work "Privatising Humanity," Bayliss reveals how prosperous investors, particularly asset managers, identify basic services as opportunities for profit. These investments rely on shareholder returns, which are financed by us—the consumers and taxpayers—who are just trying to secure basic necessities such as water, energy, and housing. We are left with little choice but to contribute to these systems, which often yield significant gains for investors while creating inefficiencies and exacerbating social problems. By delving into the water, energy, and housing sectors in the UK, Bayliss highlights the damaging effects of this approach, which is fueling growing inequality.