Greed

For all of the technical explanations for meltdown in the financial markets during the banking crisis, the most readily accepted and almost universal explanation is the single word 'greed'. This is a subject which can at once be seen as the disease at the heart of society and the motivating force behind the progress of mankind.

ALEX BRASSEY is completing a PhD in Psychology at the University of London, UK. He is also Managing Director of Cramer Pelmont Solicitors, Senior Partner of The Schools Enterprise Partnership and Managing Director of Liverpool Residential. He formerly worked for 10 years in the City of London as Assistant Vice-President of Citibank, Director of Lehman Brothers and Head of Yen trading at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He is a qualified fund manager, teacher and holds a BSc (Hons) in Finance and Economics from Manchester University, and an MA in Philosophy from Kings College London.

STEPHEN BARBER is Senior Lecturer at London South Bank University and a Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute, London Metropolitan University. He has spent fifteen years working in the City of London's financial industry and is a frequent contributor to and commentator in the financial press, radio and TV. He has published three previous books on politics, policy and political economy.