The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson
8 out of 10Lending, bond sales, stock markets, insurance, mortgaging and other financial innovations are integral to human advancement. Major names and companies such as the Medici, Rothschild, Law and the VOC played pivotal roles in the outcomes of wars and the fates of empires. It appears evident that the efficient flow of capital strengthens society at large. And so, the modern world is still experimenting--through emerging practices and large scale organizations like the Federal Reserve, the IMF and World Bank--to get it right.