The Golden Passport. Harvard Business School, the Limits of Capitalism, and the Moral Failure of the MBA Elite

Duff McDonald’s previous books include Last Man Standing: The Ascent of Jamie Dimon and JPMorgan Chase (2009) and The Firm: The Story of McKinsey and Its Secret Influence on American Business (2014). Clearly he is no stranger to the workings or woes of the US financial community. His new book: The Golden Passport: Harvard Business School, the Limits of Capitalism, and the Moral Failure of the MBA Elite, shines further light into the shadows of American capitalism and the education of its architects and builders. It stands on a huge research project, journalistic rather than academic. It names names and facts rather than theories. It complements those who fire cheap shots at the financial community without knowing much about how it works or its key players. Indeed, prior to 2008, most of us were only dimly aware how our collective well-being hinged on the financial community’s continued functioning. All of which validates McDonald’s continued inquiry into the causes and context of the business-driven inequities showcased in Piketty’s work. Cui bono? Who benefits from the Harvard Business School (HBS) in particular, or from management education in general?