Books about current affairs always run the risk of getting muddled, or being outdated by the next event around the corner. Both happen to "The silent takeover. Global capitalism and the death of democracy" by Noreena Herz.

Large parts of the book consist of a vast compilation of facts about government and corporate behaviour. While being very descriptive, no clear analysis emerges. The book suggests that after the major privatazation in the Thatcher-Reagan era, companies responded in two ways: responsibly and irresponsibly, with the author emphasizing the latter. The current financial crisis gives the book a very dated feel to it.

Hardly any analysis is given of the development of the protest movement, and the author's apparent condonement of extra-legality and violence is troublesome. The comparison to early 20th century reform movements of the period 1900 - 1915 is interesting, but a closer analysis of events at that time would be useful, especially the cause and development leading to it. Herz seems undecided whether the current protests of anti-globalists (a word she never uses) and developments at present mirror those at an earlier time or are in effect a continuation of that reform movement.

Memorable are the words of Chinese statesman Zhou Enlai when asked about the effects of the French Revolution: "It is too early to tell."

This first book by Noreena Herz leaves us with many questions, which she will hopefully answer in further publications. ( )