Ascent of Money
"Planet Finance"
By the beginning of the 21st century, the systems of credit, insurance, bond trading and stock markets had transcended all national boundaries to create a truly global economic system, opening the door to unprecedented growth, but also worldwide instability in the event of one nation's downturn. In an effort to establish more stability following the Great Depression, the U.S. government's New Deal created a "property owning Democracy," a system of federally backed savings and loans that allowed more people than ever before to buy homes by offering low interest rates and long-term mortgages.
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