Attempts to assess whether the United States is in economic decline. Appropriate to general readers as well as economics students and scholars, this book examines the fears of Americans about their economic future.

The fully revised new edition of this textbook presents a well-balanced set of economic development financing tools and techniques focused on our current times of economic austerity. While traditional public sector techniques are evaluated and refocused, this volume emphasizes the role of the private sector and the increasing need to bring together different techniques and sources to create a workable financial development package. The chapters address critical assessments of various methods as well as practical advice on how to implement these techniques. New chapters on entrepreneurship, the changing nature of the community banking system, and the increasing need for partnerships provides critical insights into the ever-evolving practice of economic development finance.

Completely revised and updated to include the ongoing financial crisis and the Obama administration's programs to combat it, this is the best available introductory textbook for an undergraduate course on Financial Markets and Institutions. It provides balanced coverage of theories, policies, and institutions in a conversational style that avoids complex models and mathematics, making it a student-friendly text with many unique teaching features. Financial crises, global competition, deregulation, technological innovation, and growing government oversight have significantly changed financial markets and institutions. The new edition of this text is designed to capture the ongoing changes, and to present an analytical framework that enables students to understand and anticipate changes in the financial system and accompanying changes in markets and institutions. The text includes Learning Objectives and end-of-chapter Key Words and Questions, and an online Instructor's Manual is available to adopters.