Zócalo Public Square

As the Superintendent of Finance for the rebel American government, Robert Morris instituted debt financing as the best means to pay for the costs of fighting the Revolution. But he was challenged by the refusal of many Americans to pay taxes. How can the U.S. pay for its policies without losing the support of Americans? Charles Rappleye, author of Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution, visits Zócalo to explore the life of a man who shaped the financial system during the Revolution, and the significance of his work in our current economic climate.