What exactly is money and what does it do? We might understand coins, notes, and gold bars but do we understand credit default swaps and sovereign wealth funds? In responding to these questions with concise historical analysis and demystifying language, Peter Stalker exposes the flaws in the system that led to financial crisis. He reveals that this is not just a banking crisis, it is a crisis of money. A combination of deregulation, incompetence, and greed create the conditions for boom and bust. This concise book provides an understanding of these factors and the strategies that can take them out of the equation, so that ordinary people can regain control of money.