When crisis struck, the bank was stuffed with smart economists but short of folk with a feel for finance.

ECONOMIST: The Bank of England

The fear that this complication helps the well-connected at the expense of ordinary folk is heightened by the current slew of campaign-finance scandals, which expose the corruption wrought by influence-peddling lobbyists.

ECONOMIST: The Steve Forbes drum-beat

This has sharpened the anxiety among some City folk that the Asian upstarts will not only capture the lion's share of the fast-growing demand for finance on their doorstep, but will also take a big bite out of London's established businesses.

ECONOMIST: Britain��s financial industry