The European Central Bank will be pivotal in the future development of both Europe's economy and the world's capital markets. What is at stake with all central banks is money. Money is very much taken for granted, and some basic notions about value and about money need to be recalled before dealing with the structure and role of a central bank. In this work in the Capital Markets" series, Francois Naudin covers these areas in detail and, more specifically, clarifies the ethos for the European Central Bank and its economic and financial means.