The Mayfair Set, Part 1: Who Pays Wins

Dr.Docs' Take

Part one of The Mayfair Set traces the birth of the modern global arms trade in the 1960s, and how a new breed of dealmaker learned that money moved faster than governments could follow. Curtis argues this was where real power quietly changed hands. I find the through-line from smoky clubs to shadow finance completely absorbing. History as told by the people who bought it.

The Mayfair Set, Part 1: Who Pays Wins begins Adam Curtis's acclaimed series on how a small circle of businessmen reshaped Britain as its empire faded. This opening chapter traces the birth of the modern global arms trade and the buccaneers who built fortunes in the shadows of Mayfair. Curtis blends rich archive with a sharp argument about money, politics, and lost power. Distinctive and thought-provoking, it sets up one of the finest documentary series the BBC ever made. Free to watch in HD on Dr Documentary.

Courtesy of Adam Curtis / BBC on YouTube. Watch on YouTube ↗

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