The Money Men: Capitalism, Democracy, and the Hundred Years' War Over the American Dollar (Enterprise)W. W. Norton & Company, 2010 M11 1 - 240 pages An "insightful" (Publishers Weekly) history of the development of American capitalism and the men who made it great. Most Americans are familiar with the political history of the United States, but there is another history woven all through it, a largely forgotten history—the story of the money men. Acclaimed historian H. W. Brands brings them back to life: J. P. Morgan, who stabilized a foundering U.S. Treasury in 1907; Alexander Hamilton, who founded the first national bank, and Nicholas Biddle, under whose directorship it failed; Jay Cooke, who helped to finance the Union war effort through his then-innovative strategy of selling bonds to ordinary Americans; and Jay Gould, who tried to corner the market on gold in 1869 and as a result brought about Black Friday and fled for his life. |
From inside the book
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Page 22
... for the particu- lar interests of the states . . . . It is necessary there should be a change . America will shake to its center if there is not . " Armies in those days took winters off from fighting. Hamilton 22 H. W. Brands.
... for the particu- lar interests of the states . . . . It is necessary there should be a change . America will shake to its center if there is not . " Armies in those days took winters off from fighting. Hamilton 22 H. W. Brands.
Page 26
... interest in preserving the liquidity of the bank would prevent their overreaching . Moreover - and here Hamilton hit a point that would become fundamental to his thinking — a bank would tie the interests of capital to the future of the ...
... interest in preserving the liquidity of the bank would prevent their overreaching . Moreover - and here Hamilton hit a point that would become fundamental to his thinking — a bank would tie the interests of capital to the future of the ...
Page 34
... interests from the public welfare. Nothing short of such an executive can be efficient.” The American executive should be elected for life. “It may be said this constitutes an elective monarchy. Pray, what is a monarchy?” Men might ...
... interests from the public welfare. Nothing short of such an executive can be efficient.” The American executive should be elected for life. “It may be said this constitutes an elective monarchy. Pray, what is a monarchy?” Men might ...
Page 35
... interests of the small states against the large, it made the executive—the president—independent of the legislature, albeit for four years at a time rather than for life. It also gave Congress crucial powers of finance: to levy taxes ...
... interests of the small states against the large, it made the executive—the president—independent of the legislature, albeit for four years at a time rather than for life. It also gave Congress crucial powers of finance: to levy taxes ...
Page 36
... interest . . . which will give all its efforts to the establishing of a government capable of regulating and the extending the commerce of the Union , " the " men of property . who wish a government of the Union able to protect them ...
... interest . . . which will give all its efforts to the establishing of a government capable of regulating and the extending the commerce of the Union , " the " men of property . who wish a government of the Union able to protect them ...
Contents
15 | |
The Bank War | 57 |
The Bonds of Union | 97 |
The Great Gold Conspiracy | 131 |
The Transit of Jupiter | 159 |
The Money Answer | 199 |
Notes | 207 |
For Further Reading | 217 |
Index | 223 |
Other editions - View all
The Money Men: Capitalism, Democracy, and the Hundred Years' War Over the ... H. W. Brands No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
Adams Alexander Hamilton Andrew Jackson Bank’s bankers Biddle’s Boutwell Bray Hammond British brokers Bryan bulls campaign capital capitalists central charter Chase Clay Cleveland Coin Congress Constitution Cooke’s Corbin Correspondence of Biddle currency Daniel Butterfield debt declared democracy democrats dollars election Erie Erie War ernment farmers favor federal government Federalists fight Fisk five-twenties gold and silver gold standard Grant greenbacks H. W. Brands Hamilton Henry House ibid interest investors issues J. P. Morgan Jay Cooke Jay Gould Jefferson knew Madison ment million money question money supply national bank never Nicholas Biddle notes Oberholtzer panic paper party Philadelphia politics president proposed purchase railroad Republicans Ron Chernow Roosevelt sell Senate sold specie speculators thought tion told took trade Treasury secretary U.S. Steel Union United Untermyer veto vote Wall Street wanted Washington wrote York