Bernstein, Peter L, The Power of Gold: The History of an Obsession, John Wiley and Sons 2000 'Bernstein's account of gold's past 20 years is particularly good - he was an executive at the Federal Reserve of New York, which handles foreign exchange for the Federal Reserve system.' Anthony Vice, Nature 409:136 11 January 2001. 
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Buchan, James, Frozen Desire: the meaning of money, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux 1998 Jacket: 'In Buchan's view, money is civilization's greatest invention. . . . As Buchan explains, money is "frozen desire" - and because money can fulfill any mortal purpose, for many people the pursuit of money becomes the point of life. In a learned and elegant survey, Buchan illuminates the many different views of money across the centuries. . . . Whether or not money is humanity's greatest invention, its meanings reveal a great deal about human nature; in showing us what we think of money JB shows is who we are.' 
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Hawken, Paul, and Amory B. Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins,, Natural Capitalism : Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, Back Bay Books 2000 Traditional capitalism, the authors argue, has always neglected to assign monetary value to its largest stock of capital - namely the natural resources and ecosystem services that make possible all economic activity, and all life. Natural capitalism, in contrast, takes a proper accounting of these costs.' 
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Keynes, John Maynard, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, Macmillan 1936-1964 The classic twentieth century economics text that revealed that there are more ways to get an economy to grow than simply balancing the books.back

Levi, Margaret, Of Rule and Revenue, University of California Press 1988 Jacket: A magnificent book, one of the best blends of rational choice theory and historical analysis I've seen . . . [Levi's] resolute focus throughout on rulers' efforts to balance extraction of revenues against the compliance of their polities organises this vast collection of material into a tight, compelling account.' Russell Hardin 
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Piketty (2014), Thomas, and (translated by Arthur Goldhammer), Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Belknap, Harvard University Press 2014 Jacket: 'What are the grand dynamics that drive the accumulation and distribution of capital? Questions about the long term evolution of inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the prospects for economic growth lie at the heart of political economy. But satisfactory answers have been hard to find for lack of adequate data and clear guiding theories, In Capital in the Twenty-First Century Thomas Piketty analyzes a unique collection of data from twenty countries, ranging as far back as the eighteenth century to uncover key economic and social patterns. His findings will transform debate and set the agenda for the next generation of thought about wealth and equality.'  
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Piketty (2019), Thomas, Capital et Idéologie, Le Seuil 2019 'Toutes les sociétés humaines ont besoin de justifier leurs inégalités : il faut leur trouver des raisons, faute de quoi c'est l'ensemble de l'édifice politique et social qui menace de s'effondrer. Les idéologies du passé, si on les étudie de près, ne sont à cet égard pas toujours plus folles que celles du présent. C'est en montrant la multiplicité des trajectoires et des bifurcations possibles que l'on peut interroger les fondements de nos propres institutions et envisager les conditions de leur transformation. À partir de données comparatives d'une ampleur et d'une profondeur inédites, ce livre retrace dans une perspective tout à la fois économique, sociale, intellectuelle et politique l'histoire et le devenir des régimes inégalitaires, depuis les sociétés trifonctionnelles et esclavagistes anciennes jusqu'aux sociétés postcoloniales et hypercapitalistes modernes, en passant par les sociétés propriétaristes, coloniales, communistes et sociales-démocrates. À l'encontre du récit hyperinégalitaire qui s'est imposé depuis les années 1980-1990, il montre que c'est le combat pour l'égalité et l'éducation, et non pas la sacralisation de la propriété, qui a permis le développement économique et le progrès humain. En s'appuyant sur les leçons de l'histoire globale, il est possible de rompre avec le fatalisme qui nourrit les dérives identitaires actuelles et d'imaginer un socialisme participatif pour le XXIe siècle : un nouvel horizon égalitaire à visée universelle, une nouvelle idéologie de l'égalité, de la propriété sociale, de l'éducation et du partage des savoirs et des pouvoirs. 
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Schumacher, E F, Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered, Blond & Briggs 1998 'The most obvious facts are the most easily forgotten. Both the existing economic order and too many of the projects advanced for reconstructing it break down through their neglect of the truism that, since even quite common men have souls, no increase in material wealth will compensate them for arrangments which insult their self respect and impair their freedom. A reasonable estimate of economic organisation must allow for the facf that, unless industry is to be paralysed by recurrent revolts on the part of outraged human nature, it must satisfy criteria which are not purely economic' R H Tawney Religion and the Rise of Capitalism 
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Smith, Adam, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Modern Library 1776, 1994 'First published 1776. The eighteenth century classic that laid the foundation for modern political economy. Here Smith describes the work of the 'invisible hand' which guides a group of people freely acting in accord with their human nature to form an orderly and coherent social structure. The bible of laissez faire (let it be) capitalism.' 
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Wiles, Peter John de la Fosse, Economic Institutions Compared, Basil Blackwell 1977 Jacket: 'In this large and polymathic book, Professor Wiles looks at the various economic systems "with a dry eye, and at arm's length". His dispassionate analysis of how systems and institutions function and interact ecompasses the Advanced Capitalist Economy, The Soviet-type Economy, Underdeveloped countries and much more. This is perhaps the first textbook of its kind to deal fully and in context with the Yugoslav system, French Planning, Full Communism, the kibbutz, the hippie phenomenon.' 
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Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 'But the annual revenue of every society is always precisely equal to the exchangeable value of the whole annual produce of its industry, or rather is precisely the same thing with that exchangeable value. As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can, both to employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to direct that industry that its produce maybe of the greatest value; every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain; and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest, he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good. It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and very few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.' Book IV Chapter II back

Adam Smith - Wikipedia, Adam Smith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Adam Smith (1723 – 1790 ) was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. The latter, usually abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations, is considered his magnum opus and the first modern work of economics. It earned him an enormous reputation and would become one of the most influential works on economics ever published. Smith is widely cited as the father of modern economics and capitalism.' back

Capital (economics) - Wikipedia, Capital (economics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process. Capital is distinct from land in that capital must itself be produced by human labor before it can be a factor of production.' back

Classical economics - Wikipedia, Classical economics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Classical economics is widely regarded as the first modern school of economic thought. Its major developers include Adam Smith, Jean-Baptiste Say, David Ricardo, Thomas Malthus and John Stuart Mill. Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations in 1776 is usually considered to mark the beginning of classical economics. The school was active into the mid 19th century and was followed by neoclassical economics in Britain beginning around 1870, or, in Marx's definition by "vulgar political economy" from the 1830s. The definition of classical economics is debated, particularly the period 1830–70 and the connection to neoclassical economics. The term "classical economics" was coined by Karl Marx to refer to Ricardian economics – the economics of David Ricardo and James Mill and their predecessors – but usage was subsequently extended to include the followers of Ricardo. back

Cost-benefit analysis - Wikipedia, Cost-benefit analysis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Cost–benefit analysis (CBA), sometimes called benefit–cost analysis (BCA), is a systematic process for calculating and comparing benefits and costs of a project for two purposes: (1) to determine if it is a sound investment (justification/feasibility), (2) to see how it compares with alternate projects (ranking/priority assignment). It involves comparing the total expected cost of each option against the total expected benefits, to see whether the benefits outweigh the costs, and by how much.' back

Economics - Wikipedia, Economics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Economics is a social science concerned with the factors that determine the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek οἰκονομία from οἶκος (oikos, "house") and νόμος (nomos, "custom" or "law"), hence "rules of the house (hold for good management)".' back

Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Report, 'To view the report of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, you can download the report in full or download a section of the report by clicking on the links below. You can also order the Commission's authorized and official versions of the report by clicking on your preferred option in the box on the right.' back

Great Depression - Wikipedia, Great Depression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century.' back

The Wealth of Nations - Wikipedia, The Wealth of Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, generally referred to by its shortened title The Wealth of Nations, is the magnum opus of the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith. First published in 1776, it is a reflection on economics at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and argues that free market economies are more productive and beneficial to their societies. The book is a fundamental work in classical economics.' back

Insider trading - Wikipedia, Insider trading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities (e.g. bonds or stock options) by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company. In most countries, trading by corporate insiders such as officers, key employees, directors, and large shareholders may be legal, if this trading is done in a way that does not take advantage of non-public information. However, the term is frequently used to refer to a practice in which an insider or a related party trades based on material non-public information obtained during the performance of the insider's duties at the corporation, or otherwise in breach of a fiduciary or other relationship of trust and confidence or where the non-public information was misappropriated from the company.' back

Late-2000s financial crisis - Wikipedia, Late-2000s financial crisis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The late-2000s financial crisis (often called the Global Recession, Global Financial Crisis or the Credit Crunch) is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. . . . The financial crisis was triggered by a complex interplay of valuation and liquidity problems in the United States banking system in 2008.' back

Market - Wikipedia, Market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services (including labor) in exchange for money from buyers. It can be said that a market is the process in which the prices of goods and services are established.' back

Money - Wikipedia, Money - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, ' Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past, a standard of deferred payment. Any kind of object or secure verifiable record that fulfills these functions can serve as money. Money originated as commodity money, but nearly all contemporary money systems are based on fiat money. Fiat money is without intrinsic use value as a physical commodity, and derives its value by being declared by a government to be legal tender; that is, it must be accepted as a form of payment within the boundaries of the country, for "all debts, public and private". back

Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, 9. For while there still survives a false rationalism, which ridicules anything that transcends and defies the power of human genius, and which is accompanied by a cognate error, the so-called popular naturalism, which sees and wills to see in the Church nothing but a juridical and social union, there is on the other hand a false mysticism creeping in, which, in its attempt to eliminate the immovable frontier that separates creatures from their Creator, falsifies the Sacred Scriptures.' . . .
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's on the twenty-ninth day of June, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in the year 1943, the fifth of Our Pontificate.' back

Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, 'Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction. The doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church,[1] was first taught us by the Redeemer Himself. Illustrating as it does the great and inestimable privilege of our intimate union with so exalted a Head, this doctrine by its sublime dignity invites all those who are drawn by the Holy Spirit to study it, and gives them, in the truths of which it proposes to the mind, a strong incentive to the performance of such good works as are conformable to its teaching. For this reason, We deem it fitting to speak to you on this subject through this Encyclical Letter, developing and explaining above all, those points which concern the Church Militant. To this We are urged not only by the surpassing grandeur of the subject but also by the circumstances of the present time.' back

Ronald U. Mendoza and Chandrika Bahadur, Towards Free and Fair Trade: a global public good perspective, 'There seems to be inadequate attention given to whether and to what extent the trade regime has over-all coherence or consistency with the development goals of the countries it is intended to benefit, despite repeated policy statements by all member countries in the WTO to construct a regime that promotes development.2 A re-evaluation of the trade regime is therefore necessary; and this is the objective of this paper. We contend that central to this re-evaluation is the need to view and fully develop the trade regime as a global public good (GPG).' back

Social security - Wikipedia, Social security - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. . . . The right to social security is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.' back

Tax - Wikipedia, Tax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'To tax (from the Latin taxo; "I estimate") is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities. Taxes consist of direct tax or indirect tax, and may be paid in money or as its labour equivalent (often but not always unpaid labour).' back

Trade - Wikipedia, Trade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and services. Later one side of the barter were the metals, precious metals (poles, coins), bill, paper money. Modern traders instead generally negotiate through a medium of exchange, such as money. As a result, buying can be separated from selling, or earning. The invention of money (and later credit, paper money and non-physical money) greatly simplified and promoted trade. Trade between two traders is called bilateral trade, while trade between more than two traders is called multilateral trade.' back