In 2012, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, gave a series of lectures about the Federal Reserve and the 2008 financial crisis, as part of a course at George Washington University on the role of the Federal Reserve in the economy. In this unusual event, Bernanke revealed...

This paper offers a broad introduction to the workings of the global financial system, the dynamics of the main financial markets, the nature and goals of the key financial institutions and the crucial role played by central banks and regulatory agencies. An important part of the paper focuses...