“Wealth is not just what you own. It’s what you know, how you connect, and who you become.” For decades, mainstream economics has taught us to measure prosperity through the narrow lens of financial capital—land, factories, investments, balance sheets. Yet a growing body of research, including a fascinating study from the Annals of the Constantin … Continue reading Beyond Money: How Human, Social, and Psychological Capital Drive Real Economic Growth
Tag: economics
Human Capital: The Evidence for a New Way Forward
For too long, governments, corporations, and even individuals have treated money as the ultimate measure of progress. But research continues to prove what we at the Academy of Life Planning have long argued: the greatest source of wealth is not financial capital, but human capital. A study published in the European Journal of Social Impact … Continue reading Human Capital: The Evidence for a New Way Forward
The Deregulation Time Machine: From Lehman to Sizewell — Same Plot, Higher Stakes
Deregulation Across Sectors: The Hidden Risks to People, Planet, and Prosperity We have seen the dangers of deregulation before. In 2008, the global financial crisis cost the world economy an estimated $10 trillion. Beyond the economic damage, research shows it directly contributed to more than 10,000 suicides in Western countries alone. Entire communities lost jobs, … Continue reading The Deregulation Time Machine: From Lehman to Sizewell — Same Plot, Higher Stakes
Unfit for Purpose: Why the UK’s Financial Intermediation Model Is Structurally Untrustworthy
By Steve ConleyFounder, Academy of Life PlanningMember, Transparency Task Force Advisory Board For decades, consumers have been assured that financial institutions act in their best interests. From glossy advertising to friendly face-to-face meetings with brokers and advisers, the public is encouraged to believe that customer-facing staff—whether in banks, insurers, or wealth firms—are working for them. … Continue reading Unfit for Purpose: Why the UK’s Financial Intermediation Model Is Structurally Untrustworthy
When Will We Wake Up? Human Capital, Not Tax Hikes, Drives Growth
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning Economic growth comes from one place: investment in people. Not balance-sheet trickery. Not tax rises. Not deregulation. But in human capital—the skills, health, knowledge, and potential of individuals. And yet, here we are again. According to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, Chancellor Rachel Reeves … Continue reading When Will We Wake Up? Human Capital, Not Tax Hikes, Drives Growth
💼 The Three-Headed Lobby: How UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City of London Corporation Shape the Rules of Extraction
“The system isn’t broken. It was built this way.” If we want to understand why so many financial reforms in Britain benefit institutions over individuals, we must look beyond surface policies to the power structures that design the game. Three key organisations stand at the heart of this architecture: UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City … Continue reading 💼 The Three-Headed Lobby: How UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City of London Corporation Shape the Rules of Extraction
🐷 Hands Off Our Pensions: Why Mandating Investment Isn’t Reform—It’s Raid
By Steve Conley | 9 July 2025 This week, Parliament debated the new Pension Schemes Bill—a bill that, if passed, would allow government ministers to direct how private pension funds are invested. It's being sold as a benign “backstop,” but to many in the profession, it looks less like reform and more like requisition. Bank … Continue reading 🐷 Hands Off Our Pensions: Why Mandating Investment Isn’t Reform—It’s Raid
Last Nail in the Coffin – But for Whom?
Last Nail in the Coffin – But for Whom? “You can’t build a strong economy by hollowing out its people.” As we approach the next Mansion House Speech on July 15, the spotlight once again turns to the cosy relationship between government and City lobbyists. Behind closed doors, the so-called “growth agenda” will be showcased … Continue reading Last Nail in the Coffin – But for Whom?
“Putting Profits Before People”: Lords Demand FOS Rollback to Serve the Growth Agenda
“Justice should never be an obstacle to growth. But neither should growth be a justification for erasing justice.” Yesterday’s report from the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee confirms what many of us have suspected: consumer advocacy is once again under threat—not by accident, but by design. In a sweeping call for reform, the … Continue reading “Putting Profits Before People”: Lords Demand FOS Rollback to Serve the Growth Agenda
Systemic Elitism: The Silent Engine Behind Financial Injustice
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning "If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu." For decades, the financial system has carefully cultivated the illusion of fairness, accountability, and oversight. But behind the curtain lies a truth that few dare to say aloud: a small, self-reinforcing elite has captured both the … Continue reading Systemic Elitism: The Silent Engine Behind Financial Injustice
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