• Tower of Basel

  • The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World
  • By: Adam LeBor
  • Narrated by: John Mawson
  • Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (223 ratings)

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Tower of Basel  By  cover art

Tower of Basel

By: Adam LeBor
Narrated by: John Mawson
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Publisher's summary

Tower of Basel is the first investigative history of the world’s most secretive global financial institution. Based on extensive archival research in Switzerland, Britain, and the United States, and in-depth interviews with key decision-makers including Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the US Federal Reserve; Sir Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England; and former senior Bank for International Settlements managers and officials.

Tower of Basel tells the inside story of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS): the central bankers’ own bank. Created by the governors of the Bank of England and the Reichsbank in 1930, and protected by an international treaty, the BIS and its assets are legally beyond the reach of any government or jurisdiction. The bank is untouchable.

Swiss authorities have no jurisdiction over the bank or its premises. The BIS has just 140 customers but made tax-free profits of $1.17 billion in 20112012.Since its creation, the bank has been at the heart of global events but has often gone unnoticed. Under Thomas McKittrick, the bank’s American president from 19401946, the BIS was open for business throughout the Second World War. The BIS accepted looted Nazi gold, conducted foreign exchange deals for the Reichsbank, and was used by both the Allies and the Axis powers as a secret contact point to keep the channels of international finance open.

After 1945 the BIS still behind the scenes for decades provided the necessary technical and administrative support for the trans-European currency project, from the first attempts to harmonize exchange rates in the late 1940s to the launch of the Euro in 2002. It now stands at the center of efforts to build a new global financial and regulatory architecture, once again proving that it has the power to shape the financial rules of our world. Yet despite its pivotal role in the financial and political history of the last century and during the economic current crisis, the BIS has remained largely unknown until now.

©2012 Adam LeBor (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Tower of Basel

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Such enthralling true information

that I kept reading despite the copious detail. Big takeaway: White collar crime is lightly punished and multinationals are untouchable.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

It could have been a great book

It's a good book, the facts are great. But it's already dated after 2022. And the author's judging comments and interventionist opinions could have been omitted. Which would have been an improvement.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Always 2

Good story about people and connections, trust, loyalty, reputation, basically about money. I love you.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

informative

This helps to understand the way banks undermine and control countries. They will help any group of tirirants.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good, Slightly Lopsided

Based on the subtitle, I was a little worried that this would devolve into conspiracy theories. Luckily, the book is much more clear eyed about the role of the BIS. It has some great chapters about the bank during WW2, but after that there's a noticable drop in details. Instead of ruling the world, the BIS send to get neutered after WW2. Also, keep in mind that the BIS is separate from the IMF and World Bank, so you won't learn much about them here.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Weak recommend

the book is decent, mainly because not much has been written about the bis. But aside from the interesting chapters about its history in World War II, I was a bit disappointed. I was left with the impression that the bank has mainly been a bit player in larger economic and political events. title misleading.
the narration is fine, but the guys American accent is annoying, and he'll put on an accent for even a two or three word quote. Excessive and distracting.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Global finance; Central Bank and BIS history

I came away with a good understand of the BIS, whereas I had none before. Overall, a great read for better understanding of global finance and the linkages between BIS and other major entities like sovereign Central Banks, IMF snd private sector international banks. Covers the good, bad, a balanced presentation. From 20th century to present.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opening from a pan European to a global instituting org.

The past history was designed by honest ambition but had terrible mistakes to supporting the Nazis from the director, it also shows the fallibility of a republic powerful institution to the need of being more democratic, open and transparent w/ freedom of information in transactions etc.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

well written amd important book about the BIS

excellent content and research has been used in this book. narrator could have avoided the various accents tho', otherwise superb narration.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Optional Required Heading

Well worth reading. Read with The Federal Reserve Conspiracy by Anthony Sutton. Language accents not helpful.

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