Money

Financially ruined by a previously failed enterprise, Aristide Saccard, a ruthless and ambitious speculator, endeavors to recover his fortune by establishing the fictitious Banque Universelle. Through Saccard's reliance on intrigue and market manipulation, Émile Zola explores the devastating effects of speculation on all social strata, from the rich to the poor, and offers a satirical indictment of the corruption and negligence of contemporary financial systems.