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Meltdown is a four-part investigation into a world of greed and recklessness that brought down the financial world. Beginning with the 2008 crash that pushed 30 million people into unemployment, brought countries to the edge of insolvency and turned the clock back to 1929, it moves on to examine the epidemic of fear that caused the world's banks to stop lending and how the people began their fight back. Finally, it asks how the world can prepare for the next crisis even as it recognises that this one is far from over.

Episode 1:The Men Who Crashed The World

In the first episode of Meltdown, we hear about four men who brought down the global economy: a billionaire mortgage-seller who fooled millions; a high-rolling banker with a fatal weakness; a ferocious Wall Street predator; and the power behind the throne.

The crash of September 2008 brought the largest bankruptcies in world history, pushing more than 30 million people into unemployment and bringing many countries to the edge of insolvency. Wall Street turned back the clock to 1929.
In depth coverage of US financial crisis protests

But how did it all go so wrong?

Lack of government regulation; easy lending in the US housing market meant anyone could qualify for a home loan with no government regulations in place.

Also, London was competing with New York as the banking capital of the world. Gordon Brown, the British finance minister at the time, introduced 'light touch regulation' - giving bankers a free hand in the marketplace.

All this, and with key players making the wrong financial decisions, saw the world's biggest financial collapse.

Episode 2: A Global Financial Tsunami

How an epidemic of fear caused the world's major banks to stop lending, triggering protests and industrial action.

Episode 3: Paying the Price

As the toll of the financial crisis continues to mount, many are looking for its true causes - and finding a crime.

Episode 4: After the Fall

Some responded with denial, others by rethinking capitalism, but who is preparing for the next crisis?

Sourced from Al Jazeera and all rights retained by the owner.

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