Prodigiously influential, Jacques Derrida gave rise to a comprehensive rethinking of the basic concepts and categories of Western philosophy in the latter part of the twentieth century, with writings central to our understanding of language, meaning, identity, ethics and values.

In 1993, a conference was organized around the question, ‘Whither Marxism?’, and Derrida was invited to open the proceedings. His plenary address, ‘Specters of Marx’, delivered in two parts, forms the basis of this book. Hotly debated when it was first published, a rapidly changing world and world politics have scarcely dented the relevance of this book.

In The Gift of Freedom, Mimi Thi Nguyen develops a new understanding of contemporary United States empire and its self-interested claims to provide for others the advantage of human freedom. Bringing together critiques of liberalism with postcolonial approaches to the modern cartography of progress, Nguyen proposes “the gift of freedom” as the name for those forces that avow to reverence aliveness and beauty, and to govern an enlightened humanity, while producing new subjects and actions—such as a grateful refugee, or enduring war—in an age of liberal empire. From the Cold War to the global war on terror, the United States simultaneously promises the gift of freedom through war and violence and administers the debt that follows. Focusing here on the figure of the Vietnamese refugee as the twice-over target of the gift of freedom—first through war, second through refuge—Nguyen suggests that the imposition of debt precludes the subjects of freedom from escaping those colonial histories that deemed them “unfree.” To receive the gift of freedom then is to be indebted to empire, perhaps without end.

War and Gold tells the history of money. It illustrates in rich historical detail how governments’ desire for to accumulate and conquer must be funded by debt. The risk is always that the treasure may not pay back the cost of the adventure. The story begins with 16th century Spain, the most extreme example of a western colonial power in the 16th century ruthless in its chase to discover as much gold as possible and, ultimately, financially gutted from having to wield a global war to in an effort to hold on to their trade routes with the El Dorado’s of the New World.

The gold standard, first made possible by the influx of silver and gold in Europe from returning Spanish conquistadors, would commonly be suspended during times of war. Cheaper standards, like paper, would be introduced as a means of wartime financing. Like the French in the Revolutionary Wars, like the British against Napoleon, and following their own example against the British in the 1770s, the Civil War Union government issued paper money to defeat an enemy during. War often the depreciation of national currency. With war, often comes the devaluation of national currencies.

Itself a long-time symbol of permanence and immutability, the gold standard was actually developed after the relative chaos of the paper currencies of the American and French Revolutions, and the suspension of gold payments by the Bank of England. It seemed a simple, almost natural idea, an expression of the ?spontaneous order’ of the free market system. And despite these chaotic origins, the gold standard would come to symbolize stability in the world. Kwarteng argues that the dissolution of the gold standard in much of Europe at the dawn of World War I spurred the rise of a dominant American economy?the only national market in which gold convertibility was still honored at the time. Ironically, the resulting command of the American dollar would spark its ascension over gold as the new global monetary standard in 1976, a standard that fell, with the U.S. economy, in 2008 when, once more, the world unofficially turned back to gold.

Americans as a whole view themselves as reasonably prudent and sober people when it comes to matters of money, reflecting the puritan roots of the earliest European settlers. Yet as a community, we also seem to believe that we are entitled to a lifestyle that is well-beyond our current income, a tendency that goes back to the earliest days of the United States and particularly to get rich quick experiences ranging from the Gold Rush of the 1840s to the real estate bubble of the early 21st Century.

Inflated examines this apparent conflict and makes the argument that such a world view is so ingrained in us that to expect the United States to live in a “deflated” world is simply unrealistic. It skillfully seeks to tell the story of, money inflation and public debt as enduring (and perhaps endearing) features of American life, rather than something we can one day overcome as our policy makers constantly promise.Features interviews with today’s top financial industry leaders and insiders.Offer a glimpse into the future of the Federal Reserve and the role it will play in the coming yearsExamines what the future may hold for the value of the U.S. dollar and the real incomes of future generations of Americans

The gradual result of the situation we find ourselves in will inevitably lead to inflation, loss of economic opportunity, and a decline in the value of the dollar. This book will show you why, and reveal how we might be able to deal with it.

In 1985, Frederic C. Lane and Reinhold C. Mueller published the magisterial Money and Banking in Medieval and Renaissance Venice, Volume 1: Coins and Moneys of Account. Now, after ten years of further research and writing, Reinhold Mueller completes the work that he and the late Frederic Lane began.

The history of money and banking in Venice is crucial to an understanding of European economic history. Because of its strategic location between East and West, Venice rapidly rose to a position of preeminence in Mediterranean trade. To keep trade moving and credit available from London to Constantinople and beyond, Venetian merchants and bankers created specialized financial institutions to serve private entrepreneurs and public administrators: deposit banks, foreign exchange banks, the grain office, and a bureau of the public debt. This new volume clarifies Venice’s pivotal role in Italian and international banking and finance. It also sets banking–and panics–in the context of more generalized and recurrent crises involving territorial wars, competition for markets, and debates over interest rates and the question of usury.

“The single aspect that most characterizes Venetian history and historiography is the dominant role of the state in the life of the city and the symbiosis between public and private sectors of the economy, between public and private interests….A primary concern of civil authorities was to create an atmosphere of competitive opportunity on the Rialto conducive to investment, that is, to the influx of money and goods, their turnover in Venice, and their eventual outflow.”–From The Venetian Money Market

We have all read headlines featuring a fortunate college-bound student who has received $100,000 or more in scholarship awards. Assuming that the scholarships were renewable annually, this amount could easily pay for four years of college at any American college or university. However, these success stories are the exception, not the rule. They are aberrations among the pool of millions of aspiring college students who submit scholarship applications to the hundreds of companies, foundations and non-profit groups that offer them. The reality is a much different, and sobering, picture. According to the 2014 edition of Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants and Prizes, nearly every student who earns a four-year degree graduates with student loan debt, which currently averages about $23,300. 101 Scholarship Applications: What It Takes to Obtain a Debt-Free College Education was written specifically to address the issue of college loan debt, and help students and their parents identify scholarship opportunities, as well as develop strategies for submitting applications and winning awards. This book’s author, Gwen Richardson, is a parent who spent nearly two years carefully researching scholarship sources for her teenage daughter, who entered college debt-free as a freshman. The highlight of this book is a comprehensive listing of more than 101 scholarship sources, including award amounts, eligibility requirements and direct website links. All sources have been vetted and researched for accuracy.

Robert and Kim Kiyosaki Overcame Debt – And So Can You

There’s no denying it. Bad debt is a major epidemic in our world that cripples families and destroys people’s futures. Are you weighed down by what seems to be insurmountable bad debt? Do you lie awake at night sick with worry because of your bills? Do you think there is no way out for you? Guess again.

Successful entrepreneurs, investors, and authors, Robert and Kim Kiyosaki, have been through a lot together. From building companies, to losing them, from being rich to being flat broke. They have also been in debt before – a lot of debt. And now they are sharing their secrets on how to get out of bad debt with you in their audio CD program, How We Got Out of Bad Debt.

How We Got Out Of Bad Debt is a CD and workbook package that tells the story of how Robert and Kim got themselves out of over million in bad debt without resorting to bankruptcy – and how you can too.

So don’t let bad debt keep you down any longer. Learn how to put debt in its place with Robert and Kim Kiyosaki’s How We Got Out of Bad Debt.

4: The Principles of a Debt-Free Life is the story of one couple’s journey out of credit card debt and what they learned is necessary for anyone seeking financial independence. While most books about personal finance focus on anecdotes and parental-style dos and don’ts, 4 focuses on the personal stories of the authors and the principles they learned that got them out of $51,000 worth of credit card debt. Adding a twist, the authors had a combined tenure in financial services of 21 years. Using their education, professional and personal experience they provide a roadmap for anyone seeking financial freedom.

Collected here, the Massey Lectures from legendary novelist Margaret Atwood investigate the highly topical subject of debt. She doesn’t talk about high finance or managing money; instead, she goes far deeper to explore debt as an ancient and central motif in religion, literature, and the structure of human societies. By looking at how debt has informed our thinking from preliterate times to the present day, from the stories we tell of revenge and sin to the way we order social relationships, Atwood argues that the idea of what we owe may well be built into the human imagination as one of its most dynamic metaphors. Her final lecture addresses the notion of a debt to nature and the need to find new ways of interacting with the natural world before it is too late.

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• Used Book in Good Condition

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most stressful–and most expensive. Expectations run high and it’s tempting to whip out the credit cards to create the perfect Christmas for your family, with lavish meals, new decorations, and the latest, greatest gadgets and fashions for everyone on your Christmas gift list. But you don’t have to overspend or go into debt to have a fabulous holiday.

Financial expert Mary Hunt shows readers how. She helps readers assess their financial situation, commit to no new debt, and think creatively about their gift list. With Mary’s guidance, readers will identify what has caused them to overspend in the past and approach this Christmas with a plan and a new attitude toward holiday spending. This just might be the best gift you can give yourself and your family. This book is an updated edition of Debt-Proof the Holidays.