Since the beginning of a capitalist economy in the United States, business endeavors have been fraught with examples of fraud and deceit. In his new book, “Fraud: An American History From Barnum toMadoff” (Princeton University Press/2017), Edward Balleisen chronicles the history of fraud in the U.S., from mail-order scams in the 19th century to examples of corporate fraud in the late 20th and early 21st century.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Balleisen about the history and evolution of fraud and corporate regulation in America. Balleisen is also an assistant professor of history and public policy at Duke University.
This is a rebroadcast. The original air date was March 8, 2017.