Why Dante put bankers in hell and James Joyce didn't

Is money a tool of moral decay or a force for human liberation? Dante feared money would corrupt and damn us, placing bankers in the eighth circle of hell - just one above Lucifer. James Joyce saw it as a tool of freedom, and markets and trade as vital engines of connection and social mobility.In this special bonus episode recorded live in front of an audience at the FT Weekend Festival in London, hosts Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth are joined by economist and author David McWilliams to explore humanity’s complex, seductive relationship with finance. From 14th-century Florentine banking and the birth of zero in accounting to Joyce’s Ulysses and modern central banking, they discuss how literature reveals why money animates human progress, and why trade remains humanity’s ultimate alternative to war.Further reading:Money: A Story of Humanity (2024), by David McWilliamsLove listening to The Story of Money? Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full episodes on the show's dedicated YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FTTheStoryOfMoneyHosts: Gillian Tett and Robin WigglesworthGuest: David McWilliamsProducer: Lulu SmythSenior Producer: Michela TinderaExecutive Producers: Manuela Saragosa & Kate FordOriginal Music and Sound Engineering: Breen TurnerPodcast development: Laura ClarkeFT global head of audio: Flo Phillips Learn more at www.ft.com/tsom or get in touch at thestoryofmoney@ft.com.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.