Money and Credit

This book offers a fresh and uniquely sociological perspective on money and credit. As basic economic institutions, money and credit are easy to overlook when they work well. When they malfunction, their importance becomes obvious and demands further investigation. Bruce G. Carruthers and Laura Ariovich examine the social dimensions of money and credit at both the individual and corporate levels, from the development of personal credit in a consumer society to the role of government in the creation of money. In clear prose, they illustrate how the overall economy is governed by the financial system and the flow of capital into, and out of, firms. They also explore the social meanings of money, and how people distinguish between "dirty" and "clean" money. This accessible and engaging book will be essential reading for upper–level students of economic sociology, and those interested in how the bills, coins, and plastic in our pockets shape the world in which we live.