The Ascent of Money

Maintain economic security and relieve money issues with tips from the financially-savvy.

Specials

  • The Ascent of Money Episode 3: Risky Business

    Niall Ferguson examines the roots of the insurance industry and more.
  • Part 4: Planet Finance

    Niall Ferguson chronicles the globalization of finance, and the recent economic collapse.
  • The Ascent of Money Episode 1: From Bullion to Bubbles

    Niall Ferguson documents the roots of money and finance.
  • The Ascent of Money Episode 2: Bonds of War

    Niall Ferguson on John Law and his Louisiana territory Ponzi scheme and more.
  • Part 3: Risky Business

    The roots of the insurance industry; natural disasters and risk management; hedge funds.
  • Part 2: Bonds of War

    Niall Ferguson follows the rise of finance in Europe and its expansion into the Far East.
  • Part 1: From Bullion to Bubbles

    Niall Ferguson looks at the history of moneylending, bond markets and the stock market.

About The Ascent of Money

In the four-hour version of THE ASCENT OF MONEY, historian and author Niall Ferguson seeks to explain the financial history of the world, exploring how our complex system of global finance evolved over the centuries, how money has shaped the course of human affairs and how the mechanics of this economic system work to create seemingly unlimited wealth or catastrophic loss.