Waubonsee Community College

The world for sale, money, power, and the traders who barter the earth's resources, Javier Blas and Jack Farchy

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

chartsmaps

index present

non fiction

The world for sale

bibliography

1242036757

Javier Blas and Jack Farchy

money, power, and the traders who barter the earth's resources

Two journalists expose one of the least scrutinized corners of the world economy: the workings of the billionaire commodity traders who buy, hoard and sell the earth's resources. It is the story of how a handful of swashbuckling businessmen became indispensable cogs in global markets, enabling an enormous expansion in international trade, and connecting resource-rich countries--no matter how corrupt or war-torn--with the world's financial centers. It is also the story of how some traders acquired political power, under the noses of western regulators and politicians, helping Saddam Hussein to sell his oil, fueling the Libyan rebel army during the Arab Spring, and funneling cash to Vladimir Putin's Kremlin in spite of western sanctions. A tour through the wildest frontiers of the global economy, as well as a guide to how capitalism really works

Introduction : the last swashbucklers -- The pioneers -- The godfather of oil -- The last bank in town -- Paper barrels -- The fall of Marc Rich -- The biggest closing-down sale in history -- Communism with capitalist influences -- Big bang -- Petrodollars and kleptocrats -- Destination Africa -- Hunger and profit -- The billionaire factory -- Merchants of power -- Conclusion : a lot of skeletons