Civilization: Is the West History? - Episode 1: Competition
The first program in the series begins in 1420 when Ming China had a credible claim to be the most advanced civilization in the world: 'All Under Heaven'. England on the eve of the Wars of the Roses would have seemed quite primitive by contrast. Yet...
Safe as houses: real estate values and mortgage trading
Contrary to widespread perception, real estate is no different than any other financial asset - its value can plunge. This program examines the volatility of property investment and the ramifications of buying and selling bulk mortgages and mortgage...
Ladies first: Rwandan women help heal their nation
After genocide ripped their nation apart in the 1990s, the women of Rwanda have led the healing process and have helped usher in a much-needed era of stability. By depicting the multifaceted efforts of women activists to build a sustainable peace be...
Human bondage: the evolution of bond trading
Beginning in the strange and chaotic world of war financing, this program explores the origins and development of bond trading. Historian Niall Ferguson presents profiles of military backers and bankrollers through the centuries, linking their activ...
Heart of Darfur: fighting an international humanitarian crisis
With the Darfur Peace Agreement in shambles, this Wide Angle report portrays the desperation of daily life five years into the Darfur conflict, from the sprawling Abu Shouk refugee camp to volatile rebel-held areas of Sudan seldom reached by Western...
Dreams of avarice: credit and interest through the ages
From "promises to pay" on ancient Babylonian tablets to the insolvency of present-day consumerist America, this program explains the origins of credit and debt and why credit networks are central to civilization. Historian Niall Ferguson examines fi...
Chimerica: an economic love story gone sour
How did the American credit market become so entwined with - and dependent on - Chinese lending? This program examines the rise and potential decline of "Chimerica," the financial marriage between two of the world's biggest economic powers. Historia...
The People’s Court: Introducing the Rule of Law in China
Facing mounting domestic and international pressure for a fair and transparent framework of laws, China is racing to reshape the rules of its Communist society. Hundreds of thousands of judges and lawyers have been trained in the past 25 years, but ...
The oil curse
The discovery of oil is often celebrated as a one-way ticket to wealth and economic growth. But in some developing countries, striking it rich has had the opposite effect - making oil more of a bane than a blessing for the poorest inhabitants. This ...