Finance, Society and Sustainability: How to Make the Financial System Work for the Economy, People and Planet

The financial system is vital to our prosperity; much of modern life would be impossible without it. However, since its inception, insiders' privileged position has made the system prone to abuse, often resulting in financial scandals, crises and asset bubbles. This book investigates the extent to which the finance sector is fulfilling a useful social function, and to what extent its activities are actually counter-productive or damaging to the economy. This book argues that in recent years, the financial system as a whole has evolved in such a way that non-productive activities now dwarf its useful social purpose. These activities are subsidised, protected and supported by the tax-payer, whilst legislation and regulation - attempts to control the industry - actually direct the sector towards these non-productive activities. This is a dangerous situation, as it misallocates society's capital, is the source of instability and inequality, and diverts resources from useful activities to itself. Finance and Sustainability highlights the theoretical functions of the finance sector in comparison to what it achieves in reality, combining financial theory and knowledge of industry practice to investigate where lending and investment are directed and how risks are managed. The author explores the developmental path of the global economy, to argue that it is inherently un-productive and unsustainable. This book proposes practical suggestions for practitioners and regulators which, if implemented, could bring about a more efficient, successful and useful financial sector.