The way we are governed is changing; so is our economy. Government has less and less power to influence how we live our lives, while the private sector has more power than ever to control what we do and what we think. Yet the business pages of the newspapers still come as a supplement, while the activities of governments dominate the front pages and the headlines. To understand the new world in which we are living, we need to learn to challenge long-held assumptions about the nature of power in society;The Silent Takeoveris an essential guide to that new understanding as we progress through the 21st century: a time in which we can no longer rely on politicians - of whatever stripe - to meet our needs; a time in which business, rather than political parties, offers the way forward; a time in which we can make more of an impact through our pockets than we have ever done through the ballot box. In the wake of an economic recession, Hertz's eye-opening book reveals much about early 21st century politics and its effects on society.

Dr. Noreena Hertzteaches international business at Cambridge. She is in demand as a consultant to both multinationals and governments, and is, in particular, an expert on the Russian economy.