From the minting of the first coins, and the medieval origins of banking, to today’s credit crunch, this book clearly maps the world of money, and delves into the dark side of the global financial system. What are hedge funds and investment banks, and how did they get into such a mess? Why are regulatory systems so weak? What can be done about fat-cat bonuses? How come we - and our children - will be lending our hard-earned cash to reckless banks for years to come?