The Atlantic: Is Private Equity Bad For the Economy?
For another valid view on private equity firms, Jordan Wiessmann has an excellent column where he asks:
Do private equity buyouts hurt workers? Yes, then no. More workers get fired in the aftermath. Then more get hired.
Do private equity firms drive companies into bankruptcy? The data isn't complete, but some indicators say no.
Does private equity make the whole economy more efficient? Possibly. Industries with lots of private equity activity actually see faster growth.