“The world's central banks and the International Monetary Fund still have vaults full of bullion, even though currencies are no longer backed by gold. Governments hold on to it as a kind of magic symbol, a way of reassuring people that their money is real.”

American journalist

James Michael Surowiecki is an American journalist known for his writing on business and finance. He was a staff writer at The New Yorker. At The New Yorker, he wrote a regular column called "The Financial Page," which focused on business and finance. His work is associated with clear, public-facing commentary on economic topics.