11 Money and Power Documentaries Everyone Should Watch

"Money, Banking, and The Federal Reserve System" produced by Ludwig von Mises Institute Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson understood The Monster. But to most Americans today, Federal Reserve is just a name on the dollar bill. They have no idea of what the central bank does to the economy, or to their own economic lives; of how and why it was founded and operates; or of the sound money and banking that could end the statism, inflation, and business cycles that the Fed generates. This film is the clearest, most compelling explanation offered of the Fed, and why curbing it must be our first priority. "Meltdown – The Secret History of the Global Financial Collapse" by Doc Zone Doc Zone has traveled the world, from Wall Street to Dubai to China, to investigate the secret history of the global financial collapse. "Meltdown" is the story of the bankers who crashed the world, the leaders who struggled to save it and the ordinary families who got crushed. "I.O.U.S.A" – directed by Patrick Creadon "I.O.U.S.A." is a 2008 American documentary that focuses on the shape and impact of the U.S. national debt. The film features Robert Bixby, director of the Concord Coalition, and David Walker, the former U.S. Comptroller-General, as they travel around the United States to let communities know of the potential dangers of the national debt. "Life and Debt" by Stephanie Black The film shows how indebtedness makes bad situations worse for the small countries. "Life and Debt" is food for thought for Europe's rescued countries like Greece and Portugal. This film looks at the effects of national indebtedness and IMF policy prescriptions on ordinary citizens and local businesses in Jamaica. "Capitalism: A Love Story" by Michael Moore The film follows the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans. But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene is far wider than Flint, Mich. In the film, Moore takes a look at the causes and ramifications of the 2008 economic meltdown. "Money as Debt" by Paul Grignon "Money as Debt" is a fast-paced and highly entertaining animated feature by artist & videographer Paul Grignon. It explains today's magically perverse DEBT-MONEY SYSTEM in terms that are easy to understand. "Zeitgeist: Moving Forward" by Peter Joseph In this feature-length documentary, Joseph presents a case for a transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society. This subject matter transcends the issues of cultural relativism and traditional ideology and moves to relate the core, empirical "life ground" attributes of human and social survival, extrapolating those immutable natural laws into a new sustainable social paradigm called a "Resource-Based Economy". "End of Poverty?" by Philippe Diaz Diaz traces the growth of global poverty back to colonization in the 15th century, and features interviews with a number of economists, sociologists, and historians who explain how poverty is the clear consequence of free-market economic policies that allow powerful nations to exploit poorer countries for their assets and keep money in the hands of the wealthy rather than distributing it more equitably to the people who have helped them gain their fortunes. Diaz also explores how wealthy nations (especially the United States) seize a disproportionate share of the world's natural resources, and how this imbalance is having a dire impact on the environment as well as the economy. "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" by Robert Greenwald This documentary examines all the things people love to hate about Wal-Mart: Low wages, neighborhood destruction, lack of benefits, and others are all covered. A generally good look at what happens when any retailer becomes too concerned with price and profit and forgets about the bigger picture. It also forces us to look at our role in the problem. Since consumers demand ever lower prices, we are partly to blame. "Let's Make Money" by Erwin Wagenhofer Most of us don't know where our money is. However, one thing is for certain, it's not in the bank to which we entrusted it. The bank and our money is already a part of the cycle of the global money market. With an eye toward exposing the policies and practices that affect the global economy, Wagenhofer traverses the planet in an attempt to trace money as it passes through the international finance system. "End of the Road: How Money Became Worthless" by Tim Delmastro This film chronicles the current state of the global economy. This sobering documentary also asks influential members of the finance and investment communities for their predictions on the world's financial future. "The American Ruling Class" by John Kirby This 2005 dramatic documentary written by Lewis H. Lapham and directed by John Kirby explores America's most taboo topics: class, power and privilege. It seeks to answer the lingering question, "Does America have a ruling class?"