Investing With Impact Book Summary - Investing With Impact Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Investing With Impact summary

Jeremy K. Balkin

Why Finance is a Force for Good

3.9 (58 ratings)
13 mins
Table of Contents

    Investing With Impact
    summarized in 5 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 5

    The capitalist system isn’t inherently evil; it’s people that make it bad.

    No tool is inherently good or bad. Morality enters the picture when tools are put to use. For instance, an axe can save lives when it’s used to chop wood to build a fire in winter; in the hands of a murderer, however, that same axe could be a weapon. Capitalism is a tool like any other.

    Since human beings ultimately control the capitalist system, it’s up to us to decide whether capitalism is used for good or bad.

    The capitalist system works by establishing a free market that is based on empowered individuals who are free to make their own decisions. Over the past 50 years, this system has brought prosperity and made the world a better place for many.

    Thanks to free trade, the wealth of nations has risen, as have levels of employment and self-sustainability – all of which has improved living standards.

    According to a 2014 World Bank report, approximately 80 percent of poverty reduction is due to a nation’s economic growth through free trade and free markets. Free trade and free markets are also what halved global poverty between 1981 and 2005.

    Capitalism’s ameliorative effects have led most people to view capitalism in a positive light. In fact, a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center showed that 4.5 billion people in the world think that free-market capitalism is the best economic system.

    Now, you might be thinking, “What about the 2008 financial crisis? Wasn’t this the result of a broken system?”

    As a matter of fact, the crisis was the result of moral and societal issues. The people who made the financial decisions failed – not the system itself.

    The crisis stemmed from the greedy and selfish actions of bankers who favored short-term earnings over long-term benefits and disregarded what was best for their communities.

    In retrospect, the immoral actions of US energy company Enron foreshadowed the crisis that followed.

    The company collapsed into bankruptcy after they tried to hide debts by exploiting loopholes and posting false numbers. Rather than trying to provide a helpful service, the company strove to improve the stock price and earn big returns and dividends.

    The motives of bankers were similarly greed-driven. Rather than helping clients, they based their actions on self-interest alone.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Investing With Impact?

    Key ideas in Investing With Impact

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Investing With Impact about?

    Investing With Impact (2015) explores how people have harnessed the power of capitalism to do good and improve society at large. As a number of ethical and philanthropic investors have shown, finance needn’t be a system of pure greed. Find out why the frequently demonized capitalist system may well be the secret to saving the world.

    Who should read Investing With Impact?

    • Investors and entrepreneurs seeking to improve the world
    • People looking for answers after the 2008 financial crisis
    • Bankers who want to make money ethically

    About the Author

    Jeremy K. Balkin, an esteemed leader on the subject of ethical banking and finance, is often described as the “Anti-Wolf of Wall Street.” A valued speaker, Balkin has given presentations at the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. His TED talk on ethical banking has been viewed over a quarter of a million times.

    Categories with Investing With Impact

    Books like Investing With Impact

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    26 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 5,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial