Abstract

Following the bank bailout and the Global Financial Crisis, anger towards the financial system reached new heights. Yet the practical workings of the system remain opaque to many people, this practical guide to the financial sector will bridge the gap between protest slogans and practical proposals for reform.

Activist and former derivatives broker Brett Scott proposes a framework for understanding financial institutions, based on the three principles of 'Exploring', 'Jamming' and 'Building'. By following this process, users will gain complete understanding of the machinations of the financial sector, learning how best to effectively disrupt the system and, finally, how to build new, democratic financial systems.
'An imaginative, even exuberant exploration of the daunting world of finance - it will unleash a generation of activists, and do a world of good'
Bill McKibben, author of 'Deep Economy'
'Money is power, but so too is knowledge. Tinkering with regulation will not change the world, but empowered citizens just might. Brett Scott's entertaining and informative book is brimming with good ideas on how we can engage and change global finance on our own terms'
Tony Greenham, Head of Finance and Business at the New Economics Foundation
'Not only a user-friendly guide to the complex maze of modern finance, but also a manual for utilising and subverting it for social purposes in innovative ways. Smart and street-smart'
Ha-Joon Chang, University of Cambridge, author of '23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism'
'Scott re-humanizes and diversifies the image of finance and arouses his reader's curiosity. He has succeeded in writing a book about finance without being dull or alarmist, but fun and exciting. His irreverent and colourful writing style, and his cool references make this a fresh and dynamic book'
Marie-Adélaïde Matheï, Research Analyst at UNRISD