Money and Power: The History of Business

From merchant ships to microchips, industry has been defined by the powerful business leaders who have caused seismic shifts in the growth of commerce. The companion book to the acclaimed CNBC documentary, Money and Power takes readers on a gripping journey following the movement of power from east to west-from the feudal estates of medieval Europe to the halls of modern finance, from the teeming streets of ancient Venice to the serene campuses of Silicon Valley-to tell the story of how business shaped the modern world, and how the goals of a few ambitious people paved the way to the wealth and prosperity shared by so much of the world's population today.

A dramatic narrative focusing on the groundbreakers throughout history-from St. Godric, the twelfth-century monk reviled for his love of money to Bill Gates, the contemporary embodiment of money and power-traces the roots of banking, industry, commerce, and power. Fever-pitch moments in the book center around pivotal figures such as Cosimo de Medici, Philip II, the Rothschilds, J. P. Morgan, the Rockefellers, Henry Ford and others. The authors also extract important lessons about the strategies and tactics used to build these business empires.

This book is organized around 12 chapters. Each chapter highlights one person or event in business history. The book presents an inside view of the step-by-step history of business and its development over the years as history of liberation from ideological dogmata, superstition and prejudice. The story begins from the 12th century monk St. Godric. A final chapter on Bill Gates and Microsoft heralds the current age, in which "the road to riches is open to everyone." And everybody, who wants, must be rich. Now it is available for everyone. It is obvious today that entrepreneur is the most creative person making the most creative work in the world.

Sure, I especially enjoyed the sections on JP Morgan and Bill Gates. The book was recently translated into Russian.

Recommend this book!


Thoroughly Enjoyable   June 26, 2002
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I found this a thoroughly enjoyable book. It is an easy read without being superficial. The writers focus mostly on American business--Morgan, Rockefeller, Ford and Gates--with emphasis on their money-making schemes & abilities. These are not "tell-all" biographical sketches. The writers never lose sight of their overall theme: money and power and how the two blend together. I would have liked more historical analysis (such is my bias). I found the chapter on Tulipmania fascinating (it is also the first time I have ever really understood Futures Trading). For anyone who finds economics and business an elusive mystery, this is an excellent starting point. (Also check out P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich.)


Packed With Knowledge!   October 10, 2001
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

This volume, based on a PBS documentary, is as much about the unique characters who drove the evolution of business as it is about vast historic trends. Author Howard Means blends the color of a cinematic treatment with the rich context and detail of a comprehensive history. In so doing, he's accomplished the ultimate historian's goal: Presenting history in such a way that it is clearly relevant to modern-day life, and in this case, business. From biblical moneychangers to the miraculously large pool of Microsoft millionaires, Means traces the history of commerce from the perspective of power, asking who acquired it, how they amassed it, how they used it and what became of it? We [...] recommend his intense narrative to anyone in business, since business is about money, and money is, after all, power.



20th century was forgotten by the author   October 4, 2001
"Money & Power" is an interesting book about the men that made significant contributions to the history of business since St. Godric. However, the 20th century is not accurately represented in the book. Basically, "Money & Power" forgot the contribution that japanese entrepreneurs like Eiji Toyoda (and his famous Toyota Production System) made to the industrial manufacturing. The book also superficially reviewed the computer technology/telecommunication revolution that has been modyfing the business world since the 70's (although there is a chapter dedicated to Bill Gates). eCommerce is not even mentioned in the book.