John Le Carre on political and corporate crime

“The things that are done in the name of the shareholder are, to me, as terrifying as the things that are done—dare I say it—in the name of God.” 
John Le Carre

The novelist John Le Carre is best known for his spy novels written in the shadow of the Cold War. Titles like the Spy who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Russia House, and The Little Drummer Girl were all made into films and were so successful that Le Carre is recognized as one of the great modern British novelists.

John Le Carre's writings of the last decade have shifted focus to reflect strongly political themes. In books like the Constant Gardener (made into a film starring Raph Fiennes) Le Carre focuses on the inequities of globalization, unchecked corporate power and the confluence of corporate interests and the activities of national spy services.

In this interview  to mark the release of his new novel Our Kind of Traitor John Le Carre makes clear his distaste for Tony Blair (and his decision to take the UK into war in Iraq and Afghanistan) and is highly critical of corporations who reak havoc all over the globe.