A Quiet Word Book Summary - A Quiet Word Book explained in key points

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A Quiet Word summary

Name: A Quiet Word
Author: Tamasin Cave and Andy Rowell

Tamasin Cave and Andy Rowell

Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain

(4 ratings)

15 mins

9 key ideas

Audio & text

What is A Quiet Word about?

A Quiet Word explains what lobbyism is, how it works and why it can be dangerous for democracy. The authors reveal the extent of lobbying today, detail different strategies used by lobbyists to influence governments, and offer a solution to help defend democracy.

About the Author

Tamasin Cave and Andy Rowell are directors of Spinwatch, a non-profit organization that raises public awareness about government and business propaganda, and the lack of transparency in the lobbying business.

Table of Contents

A Quiet Word
summarized in 9 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 9

Contrary to what you might think, lobbyism isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Generally speaking, the word “lobbyism” refers to any attempts of citizens and groups of citizens to influence the political process – for example, meeting with a senator to convince her to fund your social project. But for most people, lobbyism has a negative connotation: first and foremost it is associated with big business, corruption and secretive scandals.

However, the issue is more complex.

Some say that because most of the time lobbyists represent commercial interests, lobbyists shouldn’t be heard by the government at all.

This suspicion follows from the fact that most lobbyists work for big companies like Nestlé or Google, and industries like the tobacco or the sugar industry. Seen in this way, lobbying seems to necessarily undermine good government, because most companies don’t care about the common good – the issues important to the society as a whole – they only care about profit. For example, tobacco industry lobbyists fight regulations that might prevent people from smoking, because this would reduce their profits.

However, at least in theory, lobbyism can actually help governments do a good job.

Despite its bad reputation, lobbyism can still bring about good governance by keeping politics and outside interests in touch. To make intelligent and informed decisions, politicians require insights from external actors such as businesses – and lobbyists can provide just those insights. For example, lobbyists can provide information about the current problems and threats companies face, and thus help the government adapt accordingly to support the economy. Furthermore, lobbyists are often experienced in legislation and politics themselves, which allows them to reduce the workload for politicians by helping them with tasks like drafting the paperwork for a new law.

Lobbyism in Britain has become a professional business with a variety of actors.

Lobbyism, for many people, basically means bribery: corporate agents pushing money-stuffed envelopes into the hands of politicians under the tables of fancy restaurants. While this may have been true in the past, today lobbying is a much more complex industry.

In Britain, a very influential and professional lobbying industry has emerged during the last century to drive forward business interests. And just like in the United States, the UK lobbying industry originally emerged to tackle the dangers democracy poses to the interests of industrialists.

Lobbying activities can undermine the democratic process.

One might argue that in a democracy big companies have the same right as anyone else to campaign for their interests. However, a closer look at the problem reveals why professional lobbying has become a threat to democracy itself.

Firstly, by using lobbyists, big companies and industries have privileged access to the government and its decision-making powers.

Because lobbying relies so strongly on personal relationships with politicians, many top lobbyists have been or currently are politicians.

Even though it sounds like something out of political thriller, the clichéd scenario where lobbyists cunningly influence politicians at dinner parties is an actual phenomenon.

This is because personal relationships are the best way to ensure that the interests of a lobbyist’s client are represented. This makes networking and socializing with government advisers or important politicians a lobbyist’s main task, because this allows them to gain a direct influence. For example, lobbyists often invite politicians to expensive dinners or other high profile social events, like a football cup final.

Besides personal lobbyists, big industries and corporations also use third parties to push their interests.

As seen in the previous blink, most lobbyists rely on personal relationships. However, big businesses also have to use less direct ways to promote and defend their interests.

When personal lobbying can go no further, because a politician is starting to worry about their perception in the eyes of the voters, lobbyists turn to more subtle methods. Instead of using direct influence, they attempt to get other parties to argue their side: they finance scientists and think tanks, for example, to do biased research.

One essential part of lobbyism is dealing with critics.

The lobbyist industry is not just about promoting certain goals. Another central task is dealing with all those who pose a threat to the interests of big businesses.

And lobbyists don’t always fight fair.

A more transparent lobbying industry would allow lobbyists' agendas to be discussed publicly.

As we've seen in the previous blinks, lobbying activities are far from democratic and fair – and this is particularly true in the United Kingdom. Even though the lobbying industry’s impact in the United Kingdom is not as big as in the United States – the motherland of the lobbying industry – it is still growing every year.

However, even compared to the United States, Britain’s lobbying activities lack transparency.

Despite the obvious problem, there's little hope that the British government will regulate lobbyism.

Despite the lobbying system’s hidden methods, the British public is both aware and concerned about their consequences. Polls show that a majority in Britain believes the government care less about the British public’s concerns than the concerns of big corporations.

In recent years, this has led politicians and the government to recognize the need for greater transparency. And many politicians and ministers in Great Britain seem to indeed realize that the impact of lobbyism and the lobbying business as it works today threatens faith in the democratic system.

Final Summary

The key message in this book:

Lobbying has become a huge commercial industry that uses various tactics to influence politics and the public for the benefit of for-profit corporations. This poses serious risks to our democracy, as big businesses have more influence over the government than individual citizens. Therefore we must become aware of the influence of lobbyists, and develop effective rules to make the industry more transparent.

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Best quote from A Quiet Word

It is the effort put in to denying transparency that exposes dangerous truth.

—Tamasin Cave and Andy Rowell

Who should read A Quiet Word

Anyone who is interested in learning more about lobbyism
Anyone who is critical of big corporations’ influence on politics
Anyone who is losing faith in democracy

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A Quiet Word summary

What is A Quiet Word about?

About the Author

A Quiet Word
summarized in 9 key ideas

Contrary to what you might think, lobbyism isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Lobbyism in Britain has become a professional business with a variety of actors.

Lobbying activities can undermine the democratic process.

Because lobbying relies so strongly on personal relationships with politicians, many top lobbyists have been or currently are politicians.

Besides personal lobbyists, big industries and corporations also use third parties to push their interests.

One essential part of lobbyism is dealing with critics.

A more transparent lobbying industry would allow lobbyists' agendas to be discussed publicly.

Despite the obvious problem, there's little hope that the British government will regulate lobbyism.

Final Summary

Key ideas in A Quiet Word

Contrary to what you might think, lobbyism isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Lobbyism in Britain has become a professional business with a variety of actors.

Lobbying activities can undermine the democratic process.

Because lobbying relies so strongly on personal relationships with politicians, many top lobbyists have been or currently are politicians.

Besides personal lobbyists, big industries and corporations also use third parties to push their interests.

One essential part of lobbyism is dealing with critics.

A more transparent lobbying industry would allow lobbyists' agendas to be discussed publicly.

Despite the obvious problem, there's little hope that the British government will regulate lobbyism.

Final Summary

Best quote from A Quiet Word

Who should read A Quiet Word

Categories with A Quiet Word

Books like A Quiet Word

Discover the Blinkist catalogue

Popular titles

Most popular categories

Trending Collections

A Quiet Word summary

What is A Quiet Word about?

About the Author

A Quiet Word summarized in 9 key ideas

Contrary to what you might think, lobbyism isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Lobbyism in Britain has become a professional business with a variety of actors.

Lobbying activities can undermine the democratic process.

Because lobbying relies so strongly on personal relationships with politicians, many top lobbyists have been or currently are politicians.

Besides personal lobbyists, big industries and corporations also use third parties to push their interests.

One essential part of lobbyism is dealing with critics.

A more transparent lobbying industry would allow lobbyists' agendas to be discussed publicly.

Despite the obvious problem, there's little hope that the British government will regulate lobbyism.

Final Summary

Key ideas in A Quiet Word

Contrary to what you might think, lobbyism isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Lobbyism in Britain has become a professional business with a variety of actors.

Lobbying activities can undermine the democratic process.

Because lobbying relies so strongly on personal relationships with politicians, many top lobbyists have been or currently are politicians.

Besides personal lobbyists, big industries and corporations also use third parties to push their interests.

One essential part of lobbyism is dealing with critics.

A more transparent lobbying industry would allow lobbyists' agendas to be discussed publicly.

Despite the obvious problem, there's little hope that the British government will regulate lobbyism.

Final Summary

Best quote from A Quiet Word

Who should read A Quiet Word

Categories with A Quiet Word

Books like A Quiet Word

Discover the Blinkist catalogue

Popular titles

Most popular categories

Trending Collections

A Quiet Word
summarized in 9 key ideas