Download or read book History of Greed written by David E. Y. Sarna and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-07-30 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The “greater fool” theory of economics states that it’s possible to make money by buying paper (securities), whether overvalued or not, and later, selling it at a profit because there will always be an even greater fool willing to pay the higher price. Many described in this book profited by peddling such worthless junk to foolish investors. But for some people—Bernie Madoff, Norman Hsu, Sholam Weiss, and “Crazie Eddie” Antar, aka the “Darth Vader of Capitalism”—overvalued securities were not enough. Outright fraud was their way of life. History of Greed is the compelling inside story of the names you know—Charles Ponzi, Baron Rothschild, Lou Pearlman—and the names you don’t—Isaac Le Maire, the world’s first “naked” short-seller. It’s also our story—why we ignore the lessons of the past and fall prey, most every time, to the promise of easy money. For thousands of years, alchemists unsuccessfully tried to turn worthless base metals into gold. Where science failed at turning nothing into something, business succeeded. Sometimes we praise the creators of derivatives, collateral debt obligations, subprime mortgages, credit default swaps, or auction rate securities as Wall Street’s new financial wizards, the creators of “magic paper.” Other times, we vilify and prosecute them as scam artists. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who is who. History of Greed reveals the inside secrets of how the markets really work, and how scam artists abuse them to gain an unfair edge or to outright steal. It describes how luftgescheft (“air business”), wizardry, dishonesty, and fraud are used to swindle people. Along with a comprehensive bibliography, History of Greed also details: 400 years of financial fraud—from everyday fraud to the odd and unusual Accounting fraud (phantom sales), stock option fraud (backdating), auction rate securities, hedge fund fraud, Ponzi schemes, promotion fraud (pump-and-dump scams), and money laundering How to detect fraudulent schemes How government regulation only fixes yesterday’s problems If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If they say you can’t lose, you probably will. History of Greed shows that there really is no such thing as a free lunch, while also detailing how not to become the “greater fool.”
Download or read book The Devil s Riches written by Jared Poley and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2016-02-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A seeming constant in the history of capitalism, greed has nonetheless undergone considerable transformations over the last five hundred years. This multilayered account offers a fresh take on an old topic, arguing that greed was experienced as a moral phenomenon and deployed to make sense of an unjust world. Focusing specifically on the interrelated themes of religion, economics, and health—each of which sought to study and channel the power of financial desire—Jared Poley shows how evolving ideas about greed became formative elements of the modern experience.
Download or read book Greed Lust and Gender written by Nancy Folbre and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2009-10-22 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book dramatizes the history of self-interest by describing a centuries-long debate over greed, lust, and appropriate gender roles in terms that ordinary readers will enjoy. Ranging from the 18th century to the present, it offers a deft and engaging critique of economic history and the history of ideas from a feminist perspective.
Download or read book Need and Greed written by Stewart L. Weisman and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 1999-12-01 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than just a tale of manipulated financial statements, counterfeit securities, sham transactions, and cyber fraud, this story is intertwined with personalities from among the rich and famous who were involved, in some fashion, such as Governor George Pataki, actress Debbie Reynolds, attorney F. Lee Bailey, and the former chairman of the SEC. In the largest pyramid scheme in American history, the Bennett Companies which even looted their own employee's pension fund, fleeced more than 12,000 investors, 10,000 trade creditors, and 245 banks and financial institutions, of more than $1 billion. A Ponzi scheme-named for Charles Ponzi, who enticed investors with promises of high returns to purchase worthless coupons in the 1920s- was taken to new heights in the 1990s by the Bennett Companies. Extensively documented, Need and Greed follows the human drama as a small-time scam grows exponentially into nationwide holdings of hotels, floating and fixed casinos, office buildings, shopping malls, and other investments. It also allows the reader a rare view into the inner workings of big-time crime, its prosecution, and subsequent civil litigation. Throughout the book, Weisman includes vignettes about hapless investors, portraits of the Bennetts and other key players, the corporate culture at Bennett Funding, and the trappings of the lush Bennett lifestyle.
Download or read book Power Greed written by Philippe Gigantes and published by Constable. This book was released on 2003 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative view of the past and the great rule makers of history yields an arresting perspective on recent events that have radically altered the present for America and the world.
Download or read book The Early History of Greed written by Richard Newhauser and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2000-04-20 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of avarice as the deadliest vice in western Europe has been said to begin in earnest only with the rise of capitalism or, earlier, the rise of a money economy. In this first full-length study of the early history of greed, Richard Newhauser shows that avaritia, the sin of greed for possessions, has a much longer history, and is more important for an understanding of the Middle Ages, than has previously been allowed. His examination of theological and literary texts composed between the first century CE and the tenth century reveals new significance in the portrayal of various kinds of greed, to the extent that by the early Middle Ages avarice was available to head the list of vices for authors engaged in the task of converting others from pagan materialism to Christian spirituality.
Download or read book Greed written by A. F. Robertson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-05-03 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Greed' is a visceral insult. It jabs below the belt, evoking guilty sensations of gluttony and lust. It taunts the rich and powerful, penetrating the cover of modern ideologies and institutions. Today, old-fashioned accusations of greed drag the larger-than-life corporate fat cats down to human bodily proportions, accusing them of gain without genuine growth. This lively new book is a wide-ranging inquiry into how greed works in our lives and in the world at large. Western philosophy has intellectualized human passions, explaining and justifying our expansive desires as 'rational self-interest'. However, an examination of the visceral power of greed tells us something about the apathy of modern theory. It shows us how confused we have become about the meanings of growth, creating false and morally hazardous distinctions between biology on the one hand, and history on the other. With greed as a guide, this book considers how the integrity of these meanings may be restored. This remarkable book will be of interest to anyone concerned about the morality of economic behavior in the modern world. It will be an important text for students in the social sciences, especially in anthropology, sociology, development studies, and business studies.
Download or read book Age of Greed written by Jeff Madrick and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2012-06-12 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A vivid history of the recent economics of greed in the United States. This book explores how the pursuit of immense personal wealth has led to economic inequity and instability in the country. “A fascinating and deeply disturbing tale of hypocrisy, corruption, and insatiable greed. . . . A much-needed reminder of just how we got into the mess we’re in.”—The New York Review of Books Age of Greed shows how the single-minded and selfish pursuit of immense personal wealth has been on the rise in the United States. Economic journalist Jeff Madrick tells this story through incisive profiles of the individuals responsible for this dramatic shift in our country’s fortunes, from the architects of the free-market economic philosophy (such as Milton Friedman and Alan Greenspan) to the politicians and businessmen (including Nixon, Reagan, Boesky, and Soros) who put it into practice. The stories detail how a movement initially conceived as a moral battle for freedom instead brought about some of our nation's most pressing economic problems, including the intense economic inequity and instability America suffers from today. This is an indispensible guide to understanding the 1 percent.
Download or read book The Fortunes of Africa written by Martin Meredith and published by Public Affairs. This book was released on 2014-10-14 with total page 770 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Africa has been coveted for its riches ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew fortune-seekers, merchant-adventurers, and conquerors from afar. In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other valuable minerals. Land was another prize. The Romans relied on their colonies in northern Africa for vital grain shipments to feed the population of Rome. Arab invaders followed in their wake, eventually colonizing the entire region. More recently, foreign corporations have acquired huge tracts of land to secure food supplies needed abroad, just as the Romans did. In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years. With compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization. He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future. His cast of characters includes religious leaders, mining magnates, warlords, dictators, and many other legendary figures—among them Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval Mali empire, said to be the richest man the world has ever known. “I speak of Africa,” Shakespeare wrote, “and of golden joys.” This is history on an epic scale.
Download or read book Greed and Injustice in Classical Athens written by Ryan K. Balot and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this original and rewarding combination of intellectual and political history, Ryan Balot offers a thorough historical and sociological interpretation of classical Athens centered on the notion of greed. Integrating ancient philosophy, poetry, and history, and drawing on modern political thought, the author demonstrates that the Athenian discourse on greed was an essential component of Greek social development and political history. Over time, the Athenians developed sophisticated psychological and political accounts of acquisitiveness and a correspondingly rich vocabulary to describe and condemn it. Greed figures repeatedly as an object of criticism in authors as diverse as Solon, Thucydides, and Plato--all of whom addressed the social disruptions caused by it, as well as the inadequacy of lives focused on it. Because of its ethical significance, greed surfaced frequently in theoretical debates about democracy and oligarchy. Ultimately, critiques of greed--particularly the charge that it is unjust--were built into the robust accounts of justice formulated by many philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle. Such critiques of greed both reflected and were inextricably knitted into economic history and political events, including the coups of 411 and 404 B.C. Balot contrasts ancient Greek thought on distributive justice with later Western traditions, with implications for political and economic history well beyond the classical period. Because the belief that greed is good holds a dominant position in modern justifications of capitalism, this study provides a deep historical context within which such justifications can be reexamined and, perhaps, found wanting.
Download or read book The Little Book of Big Bubbles written by Edmund Simms and published by . This book was released on 2021-06-23 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Little Book of Big Bubbles - A History of Financial Greed and Collective Insanity. Whether it's tulips, real estate, or even Beanie Babies: asset bubbles are thought to inflate and pop without rhyme or reason. This is not true. Humans are greedy. We are susceptible to being deluded by our own collective insanity. We ignore the lessons of the past and make the same mistakes over and over. What are financial bubbles, and how do we navigate them? In this book, we explore ten of history's most significant bubbles and identify what they have in common to build a framework for recognising future ones. Chapters An Introduction The Roman Land Collapse (33 AD) The Dutch Tulipe Mania (1637) The South Sea Company (1720) The Mississippi Company (1720) US Land Panics (1819, 1837 and 1857) The Roaring '20s (1921-1929) The Japanese Asset Bubble (1986-1991) Beanie Babies (1995-1999) The Tech Bubble (1995-2000) The US Housing bubble (2005-2008) The Lessons of History The Author - Edmund Simms Value investor. Worked in hedge funds, mutual funds, venture capital, and as co-founder to three startups. No managing a private investment partnership and an equity research publication. Made in Australia but residing in London.
Download or read book Pharma written by Gerald Posner and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-03-10 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Gerald Posner reveals the heroes and villains of the trillion-dollar-a-year pharmaceutical industry and delivers “a withering and encyclopedic indictment of a drug industry that often seems to prioritize profits over patients (The New York Times Book Review). Pharmaceutical breakthroughs such as antibiotics and vaccines rank among some of the greatest advancements in human history. Yet exorbitant prices for life-saving drugs, safety recalls affecting tens of millions of Americans, and soaring rates of addiction and overdose on prescription opioids have caused many to lose faith in drug companies. Now, Americans are demanding a national reckoning with a monolithic industry. “Gerald’s dogged reporting, sets Pharma apart from all books on this subject” (The Washington Standard) as we are introduced to brilliant scientists, incorruptible government regulators, and brave whistleblowers facing off against company executives often blinded by greed. A business that profits from treating ills can create far deadlier problems than it cures. Addictive products are part of the industry’s DNA, from the days when corner drugstores sold morphine, heroin, and cocaine, to the past two decades of dangerously overprescribed opioids. Pharma also uncovers the real story of the Sacklers, the family that became one of America’s wealthiest from the success of OxyContin, their blockbuster narcotic painkiller at the center of the opioid crisis. Relying on thousands of pages of government and corporate archives, dozens of hours of interviews with insiders, and previously classified FBI files, Posner exposes the secrets of the Sacklers’ rise to power—revelations that have long been buried under a byzantine web of interlocking companies with ever-changing names and hidden owners. The unexpected twists and turns of the Sackler family saga are told against the startling chronicle of a powerful industry that sits at the intersection of public health and profits. “Explosively, even addictively, readable” (Booklist, starred review), Pharma reveals how and why American drug companies have put earnings ahead of patients.
Download or read book The Power of Greed written by Michael Rosberg and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2005-08-16 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Power of Greed recommends a shift away from the moralistic way we often go about doing international development. It says we can be too focused on our own ambitions for others and too unaware of what they’re up to on their own behalf. It argues that the desperate and greedy behaviours of the poor and their oppressors are not the enemies of international development, but its potential allies. It also says we ought to resist taking sides in defence of the poor. Productive alliances between oppressed and oppressor are possible if the conditions are right. Furthermore, it says that we need to tie national institutional and economic strengthening measures to the creation of sustainable interest groups at the grassroots. Only they could be in a position to prevent greed and corruption at the top in a sustainable way. For these reasons, The Power of Greed tries to get us to focus on doing more about the opportunity structure in the developing world and, for the rest, to rely on the opportunism of the population.
Download or read book Money Greed and God written by Jay W. Richards and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-05-05 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism is the Solution and Not the Problem, Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute Jay W. Richards and bestselling author of Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family, and Freedom Before It's Too Late and Infiltrated: How to Stop the Insiders and Activists Who Are Exploiting the Financial Crisis to Control Our Lives and Our Fortunes, defends capitalism within the context of the Christian faith, revealing how entrepreneurial enterprise, based on hard work, honesty, and trust, actually fosters creativity and growth. In doing so, Money, Greed, and God exposes eight myths about capitalism, and demonstrates that a good Christian can be a good capitalist.
Download or read book Crack written by David Farber and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-10-10 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The crack cocaine years: from deviant globalization to the 'get money' culture of late twentieth-century America.
Download or read book The Complete Book of Greed written by M. Hirsh Goldberg and published by William Morrow. This book was released on 1994 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The author of The Blunder Book and The Book of Lies is back - with his most entertaining "human foible" book yet! The Complete Book of Greed romps through the history of human avarice to expose a trove of unimaginable extravagance." "From the ancient Egyptian pharaohs - who filled their massive burial pyramids with gold in hopes of "taking it with them" - to today's oil sheiks and corporate chieftains, Goldberg humorously details the bizarre lifestyles of the rich and greedy down through the ages, including the wife who was awarded the largest divorce settlement in history - $950 million plus property; the billionaire who installed a pay telephone in his mansion for use by his guests; the maharajah who made his six Rolls-Royces into garbage trucks; the spectacular swindle that caused Barbara Walters, Alan Alda, Barbra Streisand, and the chairmen of Pepsico, Citicorp, and General Electric to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars; and the $100 million party that was held in 62 tents spread over 160 acres." "With the droll style and amusing caricatures that Goldberg's readers enjoy, The Complete Book of Greed is an entertaining odyssey through the annals of conspicuous consumption."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Download or read book Infectious Greed written by Frank Partnoy and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2009-09-08 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the global financial crisis unfolds people everywhere are seeking to understand how markets devolved to this perilous, volatile state. In this dazzling and meticulously researched work of financial history, first published in 2003, and now thoroughly revised and updated, law professor and financial expert Frank Partnoy tells the story of how "classical" Wall Street securities like stocks and bonds were quietly eclipsed by ever more "quantum" products like derivatives. He documents how, starting in the mid-1980s, each new level of financial risk and complexity obscured the sickness of corporate America, and how Wall Street's evolving paradigm moved farther and farther beyond the understanding -- and regulation -- of ordinary investors and government overseers, leading inevitably to disaster.
