This book investigates how the financialization of the American economy has fundamentally restructured social inequality and shifted the distribution of wealth. Ken-hou Lin and Megan Tobias Neely utilize extensive longitudinal data and historical analysis to argue that the rise of finance has decoupled corporate profits from employment growth. They demonstrate how financial practices prioritize shareholder value over worker stability, thereby exacerbating income disparities across various sectors of society.

Experts in economic sociology identify this work as a rigorous examination of the structural mechanisms driving modern wealth concentration. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is best suited for those with a background in social sciences or political economy.