Casino capitalism : how the financial crisis came about and what needs to be done now / Hans-Werner Sinn.

Originally published: 2010.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Translated from the German.

The world in crisis --- Life on credit --- Bank failures --- Why Wall Street became a gambling casino --- Main Street also gambled --- Hot potatoes --- Policy failure --- The extent of the damage --- Rescue attempts --- Will the West retain its stability? --- Ways to a better banking system.

In Casino Capitalism Hans-Werner Sinn examines the causes of the banking crisis, points out the flaws in the economic rescue packages, and presents a master plan for the reform of financial markets. Sinn argues that the crisis came about because limited liability induced both Wall Street and Main Street to gamble with real estate properties. He meticulously describes the process of lending to American homeowners and criticizes both the process of securitizing and selling mortgage claims to the world, as well as the poor job rating agencies did in providing transparency. He argues that the American Dream has ended because the world now realizes that this dream was built on loans that are never likely to be repaid.