The world's trading centers have used the gold standard in one form or another for thousands of years. It would seem that it is no mystery to anyone what this monetary system is. However, neither supporters nor opponents of the gold standard understand how it works. Governments have more than once had consequences from tying national currencies to gold, but this did not happen because the “yellow metal” did not cope well with its role. The thing is that statesmen have different views on the stability of money. Nathan Lewis is confident that the time has come to repeat the great monetary achievements of the last four centuries. He urges a return to the gold standard, citing indisputable evidence that he is right. Currently, governments and central banks unanimously speak about the benefits of stable money, especially after the recent financial crisis that affected the whole world. Nathan Lewis shows that gold provides the stability needed for a thriving economy. He examines the money of all times and peoples and explains in a language accessible to everyone such concepts as inflation and deflation, supply and demand, floating exchange rates and the value of money, as well as their impact on prices, wages, taxes and borrowing. Lewis shows how Central Banks regulate the circulation of money and demystifies the manipulations of monetary authorities. The book contains an entertainingly written history of monetary systems and banking in the English-speaking world. The author is distinguished by a sober view of the financial crises of recent decades, including Asian, Russian, Chinese, Mexican and Yugoslav. Lewis wrote a special chapter on Russia for this edition. The book has already been published in English, German, Chinese and Korean. The book describes the history of the gold standard and discusses various monetary systems of the past and present. The author explains concepts such as inflation and deflation, supply and demand, and floating exchange rates in a language accessible to everyone. and the value of money, as well as their impact on prices, wages, taxes and borrowing.