Here’s How America Really Runs Britain | Aaron Bastani meets Angus Hanton

The United States' impact on British culture and foreign policy is obvious. But its influence on our domestic politics, business, and daily lives warrants closer examination.

To discuss this, Aaron is joined by Angus Hanton, author of ‘Vassal State: How America Runs Britain’.

00:00 Intro
03:13 Why The US’s Business Presence in The UK is Unique
11:01 The Problem with the Political Class
17:38 Where Business Meets Politics
24:11 The Downfall of Historic British Companies
33:14 The Role of Tax Havens
37:20 How did The US Take Over?
41:24 The Public Sector
44:44 Where are the British Tech Firms?
50:59 What is a ‘Vassal State’
54:11 Capitalism and Crisis
1:00:47 Amazon

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[TheGinglymus]

This issue is never given the importance it deserves. Thank you for doing this interview!

[pppp]

From colonizers to colonized. The British have made a career...

[tiffinmeister]

Working for a US company means you will get daily emails telling you how much they love and value you, all the while planning to outsource your department to Bangaluru.

[AlexDrastico]

This is not only a UK problem. Most of Western EU has been "vassalized". Some countries, such as Germany and Italy, are literally colonies where nothing moves without US approval.

[Sabundy]

As an African Im always stunned when a British person wants to talk my ear off about how China is supposedly doing "neo colonialism" in Africa. When these same individuals dont seem to mind the American colonization of the UK lol. Or the fact that the UK is a vassal state of the US. There is no African country that is controlled by, takes orders from, or is submissive and subservient to China at any level comparable to the UK in all those ways that the UK is to America. No African country is sending their militaries to help China invade, bomb and occupy other countries as the UK does for America (there appears to be no BS war the Brits won't get involved with now to please their boss). Of course it helps that China isn't doing any of that.

[Rachel_M_]

Reading the comments I didn't know so many people were aware of the US influence in Britain. This has been a major concern of mine since the 90s

[foppo]

This won't be discussed on the mainstream.We are the lacky of the US have been for many years.And where does all the money go, not in our housing infrastructure the railways the NHS you name it.4 million kids in poverty in the UK something to be proud off?

[DamBrooks]

The EU managed to make Amazon pay taxes but the UK hasn’t

[DhadirMohamed-qx]

We as British people need to rise against American influence in our country

[Kas-kwxf]

I was initially reluctant to start the video because of its length and time. But I'm so glad that I did!

The easy flow of conversation and the clear jargon-free discussion were so interesting. Almost feel that I've been walking blind all this time. I learnt so much.

Thank you!

[suzetteduncan]

i think about this a lot. i so wish the US did not have such a stranglehold on the UK

[gee_emm]

University fees. NHS privatisation. The rent crisis. Increasing obesity. Possibly chlorinated chickens. Julian Assange! This explains a lot!

[MrGavinBoyd]

We’ve had Thatcherism since 1979 which serves the interests of the (mainly overseas) wealthy. The problem with Thatcherism is that you eventually run out of assets to sell to overseas investors so that they can rip off British consumers.

[SkyNet-T-]

USA has a network of satellite states; UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, S Korea, Australia, Egypt, Pakistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain etc

[jontaylor]

I honestly think this is one of the most important issues in the UK right now. It's a risk to our democracy and to our well-being. We can not make meaningful change and have autonomy whilst this continues to happen. I have read the book and I am so happy this is finally getting the attention is needs.

[mick]

I live in the potteries, as it used to be called, which used to employ nearly everyone in stoke on Trent. American companies could afford to buy the brands and have the product made in China. Even the brands that outsourced their own products couldn’t compete with American firms because they were able to get better prices because they could place larger orders. Thatcher and neoliberalism betrayed our country.

[FedericoPalma]

The UK never got hold of the fact that it actually lost WWII and it was occupied and colonized by the US, just like Germany, and the whole Empire and the Commonwealth became a toolbox for American hegemony to extend worlwide.

[richards]

Australia is the 51st state how dare the UK steal our position 😂

[calumroche]

In 2000 George Monbiot published 'Captive State' about the corporate takeover of Britain in the first New Labour parliament. 24 years later plus ca change.

[marktrinidad]

Just have think here. British companies are now mostly owned by American private equities. But its not just British. Siemens, Schneider, Samsung Electronics and TSMC are now mostly owned by American financial corporations. America can just print money unrelentlessly and buy high tech foreign companies. Its amazing how smart the American strategy is and its very scary.