200,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿 

Black Friday Sale on Now! Save up to 25% off Books, Toys, Board Games, & Puzzles! ✨

Human Capital

The Tragedy of the Education Commons
By Guy Standing
Series: Pelican Books
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
A searing indictment of our broken education system today, and how we revive it Does the education system make better people? Why are so many - teachers and students alike - stressed and dissatisfied? Do we need to revive real education? Ideally, education is about the... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3000
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
A searing indictment of our broken education system today, and how we revive it Does the education system make better people? Why are so many - teachers and students alike - stressed and dissatisfied? Do we need to revive real education? Ideally, education is about the pursuit of truth, beauty and morality. But in the last few decades, a perilous fixation with human capital - skills, knowledge and aptitudes required for the labour market - has trampled over curricula, schools and universities. Rather than learning how to think critically about the world, from cradle to grave students are trained to be more effective workers, to make more money, and to serve an hegemonic ideology. Teachers and researchers are pressed to serve those goals. In this concluding book in his series on the commons, Guy Standing shows us how education - intrinsically a common public good - has been enclosed, privatised, financialised and corrupted, turned into an instrument of societal control, not human emancipation, weakening democracy, not strengthening it. Human Capital charts how the education industry largely serves commercial interests, not its teachers and students, and considers how to revive its lost values, to save society for the common good.

Series: Pelican Books

View all
  • The Art of Statistics
    In The Art of Statistics, David Spiegelhalter, a renowned statistician and former president of the Royal Statistical Society, demystifies the complex world of statistical science. As data becomes the new currency and with the rise of data science as a key discipline, the ability to understand and analyse statistical information is more crucial than ever. Spiegelhalter's writing offers an engaging...
    By David Spiegelhalter
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    14% off
    Artificial Intelligence
    Artificial Intelligence by Melanie Mitchell offers an insightful and engaging journey into the heart of one of the most fascinating and rapidly advancing fields of our time. Bridging the gap between complex scientific concepts and everyday understanding, Mitchell's book delves into the inner workings of AI, presenting cutting-edge research and real-world applications in a manner that is both accessible and...
    By Melanie Mitchell
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    30% off
    Economics: The User's Guide
    In Economics: The User's Guide, bestselling author Ha-Joon Chang demystifies the often intimidating field of economics and makes it accessible to everyone. By cutting through the jargon and complexity, Chang ensures that the powerful concepts and ideas that shape our world are easily understood. This isn’t just a textbook for students or professionals; it's a guide for any curious mind...
    By Ha-Joon Chang
    Paperback
    $2100
    Usually:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Think Like an Anthropologist
    Essential reading for anyone who wants a fresh take on our cultural values that goes beyond economics, psychology, and politics. What is anthropology? What can it tell us about the world around us? And why do we need it? For well over one hundred years, social and cultural anthropologists have traversed the world from Melanesia to suburban England, Taipei to...
    By Matthew Engelke
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Feminisms
    An authoritative and original history of global feminism from an award-winning historian. How has feminism developed? What have feminists achieved? What can we learn from the global history of feminism? Feminism is the ongoing story of a profound historical transformation. Despite being repeatedly written off as a political movement that has achieved its aim of female liberation, it has been...
    By Lucy Delap
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Basic Income
    The essential guide to understanding the real economics behind a universal basic income Shouldn't everyone receive a stake in society's wealth? Could we create a fairer world by granting a guaranteed income to all? What would this mean for our health, wealth and happiness? A basic income is a regular cash transfer from the state, received by all individual citizens....
    By Guy Standing
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Architecture
    A groundbreaking history of architecture told through the relationship between buildings and energy. Reducing energy use is the single biggest challenge facing architecture today. From the humblest prehistoric hut to the imposing monuments of Rome or Egypt to super-connected modern airports, buildings in every era and place have been shaped by the energy available for their construction and running. This...
    By Barnabas Calder
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Aristotle
    Why has Aristotle had such an astounding influence on the world? What are his key ideas? What can he still teach us today? There is in Athens a rather plain ruin; a simple courtyard lined with fragments of wall. Yet, this little patch of land has a claim to be the most significant place in human history. It is the...
    By John Sellars
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Power of Language
    An acclaimed psycholinguist reveals how language shapes our brain - and moulds the way we look at the world. Why should we learn more than one language? Can it change the way we think? Does it have the power to transform how we see the world? You may think you speak only one language. In fact, your mind is interpreting...
    By Viorica Marian
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Object-Oriented Ontology
    A new introduction to one of the most influential philosophical movements in contemporary intellectual life. What is reality, really? Are humans more special or important than the non-human objects we perceive? How does this change the way we understand the world? We humans tend to believe that things are only real in as much as we perceive them, an idea...
    By Graham Harman
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • National Populism
    A crucial new guide to one of the most important phenomena of our time—the rise of populism in the West. A crucial new guide to one of the most urgent political phenomena of our time—the rise of national populism. Across the West, there is a rising tide of people who feel excluded, alienated from mainstream politics, and increasingly hostile towards...
    By Matthew Goodwin and Roger Eatwell
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Why War?
    A study of what leads humans to war, from one of our great military historians. There can be few more important but also more contentious issues than attempting to understand the human propensity for conflict. Our history is inextricably tangled in wave after wave of inter-human fighting from as far back as we have records. How can we make sense...
    By Richard Overy
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241688182

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 January 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pelican

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 112.0mm

Height: 181.0mm

Weight: 278g

Pages: 512

Collections

Education & Reference Guy Standing Mindset & Self Help New Year, New You Non-Fiction Penguin Books Politics & Current Affairs Self-Help & Personal Development Series: Pelican Books

About the Author

Guy Standing has held professorships at Bath, London and Monash universities, was a programme director in the UN's International Labour Organization and has advised many international bodies and governments on social and economic policies. He co-founded the Basic Income Earth Network and is now its co-president. He is author of the bestselling The Precariat- The New Dangerous Class (2011), Basic Income- And How We Can Make It Happen (2017) and Plunder of the Commons- A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth (2019).

Also by Guy Standing

View all
  • Basic Income
    The essential guide to understanding the real economics behind a universal basic income Shouldn't everyone receive a stake in society's wealth? Could we create a fairer world by granting a guaranteed income to all? What would this mean for our health, wealth and happiness? A basic income is a regular cash transfer from the state, received by all individual citizens....
    By Guy Standing
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Blue Commons
    An expose of the plunder of the world's oceans, and the devastating economic and environmental impact this is having across the globe. The sea provides more than half the oxygen we breathe, food for billions of people and livelihoods for hundreds of millions. But giant corporations are plundering the world's oceans, aided by global finance and complicit states, following the...
    By Guy Standing
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3200
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Corruption of Capitalism
    The Corruption of Capitalism
    When it was originally published in 2016, The Corruption of Capitalism introduced the concept of rentier capitalism, whereby a small, rich cadre controls access to property and profit without actually contributing to society. In this third edition of his bestselling polemic, celebrated labour economist Guy Standing brings his tale of corruption up to date to encompass debates around the pandemic...
    By Guy Standing
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Plunder of the Commons
    A vital and incisive solution to many of the problems society faces today—we must reclaim the commons. We are losing the commons. Austerity and neoliberal policies have depleted our shared wealth; our national utilities have been sold off to foreign conglomerates, social housing is almost non-existent, our parks are cordoned off for private events, and our national art galleries are...
    By Guy Standing
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Browse lists from our team

The Latest at Book Hero

View all

More from Education & Reference

View all
  • Revenge of the Tipping Point
    Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light. What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do elite universities care so much about sports? What is...
    By Malcolm Gladwell
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Body Keeps the Score
    The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...
    By Bessel van der Kolk
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Song of the Birds
    A stunning and panoramic history of native birds in Aotearoa, from the bestselling author of The Meaning of Trees For millions of years, the song of the birds echoed throughout Aotearoa, with no one around to hear it. While the arrival of humans would transform their story forever - birds may have changed us even more. In this beautiful and...
    By Robert Vennell
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    12% off
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    One Last Question, Prime Minister
    From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...
    By Barry Soper
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    20% off
    Kitchen Confidential
    The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...
    By Anthony Bourdain
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    American Hagwon
    ‘Profoundly generous and humane’ DOUGLAS STUART‘Engrossing … brilliantly imagined’ COLM TÓIBÍN‘Breathtaking … I adored it’ ELIF SHAFAK‘Extraordinary’ TARA WESTOVERMin Jin Lee, the acclaimed author of Pachinko, returns with a breathtaking contemporary epic that follows one family as they reckon with personal dreams and familial duty. John and Helen Koh and their three children – Bo, DH and Mido – are...
    By Min Jin Lee
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    23% off
    1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
    In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...
    By George Orwell
    Paperback
    $1000
    Usually:
    $1299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Hormone Health is Mental Health
    On Sale
    15% off
    New Release
    Hormone Health is Mental Health
    Hormone Health is Mental Health is a lifechanging guide to understanding perimenopause and midlife women's mental health - and how understanding your hormones is the first step to feeling like yourself again. This book is for women in their thirties, forties, and fifties who feel like they're falling apart. Women who feel like their brains and bodies are betraying them,...
    By Dr Fatima Khan
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Lucky You're Tough
    New Release
    Lucky You're Tough
    Lucky You're Tough chronicles the early life of helicopter pilot and NZSAS soldier Mark Law, from growing up in the rural wilds of Whangamōmona through to surviving a series of life-threatening events that would shape his life and career. After a career as a badged soldier in the NZSAS that led to an intriguing stint with the British SAS and...
    By Ron Crosby and Mark Law
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Age Code
    What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' — Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' — Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' — Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe there’s one...
    By David Cox
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Explosive Child [Sixth Edition]
    The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene, PhD, now in its revised and updated sixth edition, delves deeply into a revolutionary, research-based approach to understanding and parenting children who frequently display severe fits of temper and other challenging behaviours. Penned by a distinguished clinician and pioneer in addressing the needs of children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, this ground-breaking...
    By Ross W Greene, PhD
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 200,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.