Hyperbolic Profit

Profit is the driving force of the modern economy, yet reported profits are increasingly becoming products of hyperbole-speculative and exaggerated claims about future income, presented as if they have already come true. Hyperbolic Profit transforms how we think about profit, explaining how contemporary accounting practices, embedded in professional standards and business culture, are used to inflate corporate profits. Dave Elder-Vass shows that this is not merely a technical issue but a serious problem that affects us all. Tenuous profit claims are routinely used to justify vast transfers of wealth to executives and shareholders, intensifying economic inequality. At the same time, this strips corporations of the assets that sustain their long-term solvency, generating systemic financial risk in our economy. This book advocates a new politics of profit-one that prioritises economic resilience, accountability, and collective well-being over short-term enrichment at the top.