Book excerpt: This book focuses on global financial systems. After summarising historical financial institutions, it subsequently uses economic and econometrical models to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of these institutions and their role in the history. Readers, especially international readers, will be introduced to prominent Chinese scholars’ ideas and views on these issues. The perspective of this book is, of course, a Chinese one. As such, readers will learn how Chinese people view global financial systems, even those dominated by the West, what they think about future global finance, etc. As such, the book offers intriguing and revealing insights for researchers and a broader readership alike.