Video 1: An interesting interview by Maria Bartiromo of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild on the financial crisis (December 2008). Here’s a quick break down of his main points:

1. The government was right to rescue the banks
2. The regulators need to be supervised and there needs to be more supervision in the US as there is in the UK, since the US government has taken over the banks
3. Capitalism is going to become a very important factor in our lives in the future (?). And we have to address the issue that a lot of people in the banking business really don’t know what they’re doing.
4. In 2007, he (Rothschild) took the view it was going to get very bad. He saw what was happening and saved his family money.
5. He’s personally invested in government bonds
6. Pensions and 401k plans are in trouble, and many people are going to be unable to live and eat
7. Go back to basics. Banks shouldn’t have huge overdrafts. Banks shouldn’t be levered excessively.
8. Raw materials and oil are down, they might be good investments now (I don’t hear him suggesting gold here, as the title of the video states)
9. Unemployment is increasing in the UK; small businesses are going to find it tough; it’s going to be difficult to convince people to reinvest; suppliers (small businesses) to the auto industry are more important than the auto industry (big business)
10. Hedge funds and financial institutions have to work within limits. They’ve been acting without regarding any regulations or even the basics of their business.

Video 2 (September 2009) : Rothschild wants more global control and more and better supervisors, with central banks playing a big part in the system: