The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $0.70 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure: Why Pure Capitalism is the World Economy’s Only Hope [Hardcover]

John A. Allison
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)

List Price: $28.00
Price: $16.71 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $11.29 (40%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Tuesday, May 21? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $9.24  
Hardcover $16.71  
MP3 CD, Audiobook, Unabridged $23.55  
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $17.95 or Free with Audible 30-day free trial
Shop the Money & Markets Store
Are you a finance, investing, economics or accounting professional? Find books, read blog posts, and discover new authors and thought-leaders in Money & Markets, a new home for finance industry professionals on Amazon.com. > Shop now

Book Description

September 6, 2012

The #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Did Wall Street cause the mess we are in? Should Washington place stronger regulations on the entire financial industry? Can we lower unemployment rates by controlling the free market?

The answer is NO.

Not only is free market capitalism good for the economy, says industry expert John Allison, it is our only hope for recovery. As the nation’s longest-serving CEO of a top-25 financial institution, Allison has had a unique inside view of the events leading up to the financial crisis. He has seen the direct effect of government incentives on the real estate market. He has seen how government regulations only make matters worse.

And now, in this controversial wake-up call of a book, he has given us a solution. The national bestselling The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure reveals:

  • Why regulation is bad for the market—and for the world
  • What we can do to promote a healthy free market
  • How we can help end unemployment in America
  • The truth about TARP and the bailouts
  • How Washington can help Wall Street build a better future for everyone

With shrewd insight, alarming insider details, and practical advice for today’s leaders, this electrifying analysis is nothing less than a call to arms for a nation on the brink. You’ll learn how government incentives helped blow up the real estate bubble to unsustainable proportions, how financial tools such as derivatives have been wrongly blamed for the crash, and how Congress fails to understand it should not try to control the market—and then completely mismanages it when it tries. In the end, you’ll understand why it’s so important to put “free” back in free market.

It’s time for America to accept the truth: the government can’t fix the economy because the government wrecked the economy. This book gives us the tools, the inspiration—and the cure.

“Required reading. . . . Shows how our economic crisis was a failure, not of the free market, but of government.”
—Charles Koch, Chairman and CEO, Koch Industries, Inc.

The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure is a sophisticated yet accessible analysis of the causes and solutions to America’s financial meltdown.”
—Ed Crane, President Emeritus of the Cato Institute

“An indispensable contribution to the debate about the future of the American economy.”
—Arthur Brooks, President, American Enterprise Institute

“No one is better equipped to understand what is going on today and the causes of the financial crisis. Please pay attention to what he says here.”
—Bernie Marcus, Chairman, The Marcus Foundation, and cofounder, Home Depot

“Allison explains the unintended consequences of government policies and their impact on the financial crisis . . . and recommends practical steps to improve the economy and individual liberty.”
—James M. Kilts, former Chairman and CEO, Gillette Company

“[This is] the best, deepest explanation of what caused the crisis and the consequences of our government’s response to it.”
—Yaron Brook, President and Executive Director, Ayn Rand Institute

“John Allison is superb with his comprehensive and thought-provoking explanation for our current economic crisis and a clear and compelling path to a brighter future.”
—Steve Reinemund, Dean, Wake Forest University Schools of Business, and retired Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo

“[John Allison] assembles evidence that shows that our financial crisis, followed by the Great Recession, was caused by Congress, the Federal Reserve, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae, and was helped along by the Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama White Houses.”
—Walter E. Williams, syndicated coumnist


Best Value

Buy The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure: Why Pure Capitalism is the World Economy’s Only Hope and get Investing in the Second Lost Decade: A Survival Guide for Keeping Your Profits Up When the Market Is Down at an additional 5% off Amazon.com's everyday low price.

The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure:  Why Pure Capitalism is the World Economy’s Only Hope + Investing in the Second Lost Decade: A Survival Guide for Keeping Your Profits Up When the Market Is Down
Buy together today: $33.33

Show availability and shipping details



Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Exclusive: Post-Election Commentary from Author John A. Allison

The 2012 election has reinforced for me that the U.S. has a simple choice – return to the principles that made us great or face economic decay and social unrest. One of the reasons I wrote my book is because it seemed to make sense to have someone who had an inside and comprehensive understanding of the causes of our financial problems to comment on the issue. In the aftermath of the recent election, it’s even more important for the public and policy makers to understand what drove the financial crisis and what choices we must make to revitalize our economy.

The media and other statists have created a myth that the financial crisis was caused by banking deregulation and greed on Wall Street. However, banks were not deregulated. In fact, three major new regulations were passes during the Bush Administration: The Privacy Act, The Patriot Act, and Sarbanes-Oxley. Banks were misregulated, not deregulated. Also, there has always been plenty of greed (and fear) on Wall Street. However, there is not one shred of evidence there was a greed plague that swept the Street.

The financial crisis and failed recovery were primarily caused by government policy. The two main culprits were errors made by the Federal Reserve and government housing policy, specifically as executed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the giant government-sponsored enterprises that would never have existed in a free market.

My book, The Financial Crisis and The Free Market Cure covers this and other economic myths and misunderstanding such as the “shadow” banking system, fair value accounting, Pick-a-Payment mortgages and the like. However, as interesting as the economic discussion is, the real solution for our financial problems is philosophical and the cure was espoused by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

People on all sides of the political spectrum defend liberty, but few people understand why liberty is essential to human well-being. Government regulations put “balls and chains” on innovators and entrepreneurs and thereby, slow and eventually stop progress. Given man’s nature, socialism and communism are doomed to failure.

So, again, I say, the US has a simple choice: The laws of mother nature and human nature are not subject to popularity or political whim. Capitalism or decline. You choose.

Review

"John Allison has written easily one of the most important books of the year. Go out and buy it." (Forbes 20121017)

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 6, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0071806776
  • ISBN-13: 978-0071806770
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 64 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read October 5, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was pretty much of the belief that the last thing America needed was yet another book on the financial crisis.

But this book is so good that it's worth reading. Mr. Allison brings to the table both a free-market perspective and firsthand experience as a bank executive (CEO of BB&T) during the crisis. Few if any of the journalists, economists, and government officials who have written that bookshelf-full of other books on the topic have that to offer.

Here are some examples of things that I was unaware of until I read Mr. Allison's book, even though I have already read a lot of other books, reports, and articles and watched a lot of congressional hearings and commission meetings about the financial crisis:

*When the FDIC took over Washington Mutual, it paid uninsured depositors in full using money that would have gone to bondholders. Writes Mr. Allison: "This was in complete contradiction to past practice. The bondholders suddenly realized that there is no rule of law when government regulators are involved...The decision to treat WaMu bondholders this way closed the capital markets for banks."

* "Banks spend hundreds of millions of dollars hedging mortgaging servicing rights," which are "an accounting fiction." He writes, "I once had a highly ranked partner at one of the biggest accounting firms tell me that no more than 10 people understood all the interconnections among mortgage servicing rights, mortgage origination income, and derivatives valuation. I think he exaggerated. I do not think anyone understood."

* "The Patriot Act represents a practically impossible regulatory environment for banks because it is in direct conflict with the Privacy Act (which was also passed during the Bush administration). The Privacy Act requires banks not to violate your privacy. The Patriot Act requires that banks violate your privacy." Banks spend hundreds of millions of dollars mailing Privacy Act notices each year. Mr. Allison says one bank CEO ran a test to see if anyone reads the notices and sent out thousands of the notices with a last line offering a $100 prize if the recipient returned the notice to the bank. Only one customer did.

As the comments on the Patriot Act and the Privacy Act indicate, Mr. Allison does not go easy on President George W. Bush. "The panic atmosphere during the recent financial crisis was totally the result of massive mishandling of the financial system by government policy makers in the Bush administration," he writes. "When the head of the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, and the president announced that Western civilization would end unless Congress approved a $700 billion bailout, people panicked."

Mr. Allison's prescriptions for policy cures are similarly direct. "The most fundamental cure for this crisis and future financial crises would be to eliminate the Federal Reserve," he writes. He also wants to reduce federal spending, including on the military: "It is clear that the defense budget of the United States could be cut at least 25 (and probably 50) percent while making the United States better defended than it is today." He also wants "to eliminate the minimum wage, or at least reduce the minimum-wage rate back to its prerecession level of $5.15 per hour." (He writes that the minimum wage, which has been increased to $7.25 an hour, is "the primary cause of the high unemployment levels in the United States today," pushing jobs to China that would otherwise have been done in America. He suggests eliminating bank loan loss reserves and instead have banks take loan losses when they occur. And he suggests eliminating government deposit insurance and replacing it with a private system.

As for the big picture, Mr. Allison writes that the "fundamental cause" of the financial crisis is the philosophy taught in American liberal arts colleges. "The long term key to success is to recapture the elite universities from the Left," he writes.

I'm not endorsing all of Mr. Allison's analysis or conclusions. But he's succeeded at something that isn't easy: writing a new must-read book on the financial convulsions and their aftermath.
Was this review helpful to you?
50 of 56 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars At Last the Truth about the Financial Crisis October 2, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the first and clearly the best book to explain the causes of the financial crisis. John Allison reports not just from the outside but from the inside. BB&T which he led for 20 years gave him access to what happened not only in his bank and markets but in Washington. He shows that the crisis was caused primarily by the Fed (the number one villain), the FDIC, govt housing policy, Fannie and Freddie, TARP, and boatloads of insane and harmful regulations. He shows also that crony capitalism (actually crony socialism)played a key role from beginning to end. He shows that the government's goal of expanding home ownership caused a massive misallocation of capital (from production to consumption.) He is not afraid to name names. He demonstrates that the fundamental cause of crises such as this are philosophical. He argues convincingly that the only real solution to diaasters like this (including the destruction of our economy) is pure capitalism backed by the philosophy of self interest guided by reason. This is a brillaint and heroic book that I recommend everyone read if you want America to survive.
Was this review helpful to you?
39 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Industry Expert, John A. Allison delivers a detailed, comprehensive analysis of the causes and solutions to America's financial meltdown. The author describes clearly the right steps to take for improvement and recovery, while describing what the wrong things would be to do as he provides information on who is to blame for a crash. In addition, he explains how and why free market capitalism is good for the economy, and how this is our only hope. An inside view of the events that led to the crisis is presented, along with the impact of government incentives on real estate markets, and how government regulations made it worse. Solutions are provided on how to promote free market, the effects of bailouts, and how to end unemployment. Practical advice is also given on how Washington can help Wall Street for a better future, and steps on how to clean up the mess. Reports are presented on what to do now for the entire financial industry as Allison conveys that failure was not of free market, but of government. A description is also provided of the impact of our government response to the crisis and the consequences. This expert analysis is a valuable contribution to the debate about America's future economy. Comprehensive, thought-provoking, concise, and Highly Recommended to all Americans!
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit disappointed
I was really excited about the great reviews for this book and was looking forward to learning about the recession and also some evidence-based arguments for a free market economy. Read more
Published 5 hours ago by Phil K
4.0 out of 5 stars Government regulations are mostly harmful to business
Allison clearly points out the ebb & flow of enforcement of rules & regulations by bureaucrats. Read this and then think about how health care will be handled.
Published 2 days ago by Bill Mulllen
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
everyone who wants to have a readable explanation of the financial crisis and the real causative factors (overactive government) should read this.book.
Published 6 days ago by Michael Sandroni
5.0 out of 5 stars The financial crisis and the free market cure
A must read for anyone interested in the real causes of the financial crisis as opposed to the bogus excuses offered by the main stream media and politicians.
Published 17 days ago by gerald
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A true answer for Great Recession
At last! An excellent explanation of how and why we had the meltdown in 2007-2008 which details the real truth instead of political blame and spin. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jerry C. Nelson
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
Great explanation of the true causes of financial meltdown 2007-2009. It is a must read for anyone that truly cares about this great country and future generations. Read more
Published 1 month ago by matt lawson
4.0 out of 5 stars heard this man speak at a seminar
very interesting man, very knowledgeable about the financial markets, haven't listened to the book, but it should be very interesting
Published 1 month ago by Barb
5.0 out of 5 stars Explains what caused the financial crisis
If you would like to know what caused this latest financial crisis, this book is a good place to start. The author does a good job of explaining various causes of this crises.
Published 1 month ago by Condorito
5.0 out of 5 stars Before and After The Crisis
John Allison had a ring side seat and saw first hand what caused the mess and now what it left behind! The book is very intelligently and insightfully written. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Terry Robertson (netreturn@aol.com)
5.0 out of 5 stars THE WAY IT IS
This man tells the truth that most deny. The meltdown was caused by the Fed and Congress, almost singlehandedly by Frank.
Published 1 month ago by Neil L. Mace
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


So You'd Like to...