The Ascent of Money — Season 1, Episode 1: Dreams of avarice
Documentary • 49 min • 1 season, 6 episodes • ★ 8.0/10
Episode synopsis
From Shylock's pound of flesh to the loan sharks of Glasgow, from the 'promises to pay' on Babylonian clay tablets to the Medici banking system, Professor Ferguson explains the origins of credit and debt and why credit networks are indispensable to any civilisation.
About The Ascent of Money
Historian Niall Ferguson tells the story of money and the rise of global finance. Bringing context and understanding to the current economic crisis, he reveals how the history of finance has been punctuated by gut-wrenching crashes.