Who's Counting?

Niall Ferguson is in his recent book entitled "Survival of the Fittest" subtitled "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World."

The financial world is all about counting - counting the risk, counting the money, counting the debits and credits.

Without mathematics there wouldn't be a financial world and we would not enjoy the sophisticated advanced economics of the 21st century.

In his book Ferguson discusses the evolution of "money" and what accounted as valuable in the financial history of the world ranging from large stones, shells to the coinage used almost universally today.

He concludes by saying finance is the mirror of mankind and as such can hardly be blamed if it reflects our blemishes just as much as our beauty.