Direct: The Rise of the Middleman Economy and the Power of Going to the Source

Over the past few decades, middlemen have taken control of the economy at the expense of the rest of us. "Direct: The Rise of the Middleman Economy and the Power of Going to the Source" explores how that happened and how going back to source can help to build a more sustainable economy.

In Direct, Columbia law professor Kathryn Judge explains how middlemen have built intricate financial and retail empires capable of moving goods across countries and around the world. While that's brought about an unprecedented degree of choice and convenience, it has also come at a steep price.

Middlemen shape what people do and what they consume. They use data to push people to buy more, and more expensive, products. They use their massive profits and expertise to lobby lawmakers, tilting the playing field in their favour. Judge's answer is to seek ways to reconnect, to go back to the source and create new ecosystems of makers and consumers.