The worst economic turmoil since the Great Depression is not a natural phenomenon today Guardian totes, but a man-made disaster in which we all played a part. In the second part of a week-long series looking behind the slump, Guardian City editor Julia Finch picks out the individuals who have led us into the current crisis

So, who are those who led us down the Road to Ruin?

Alan Greenspan, chairman of US Federal Reserve 1987- 2006
Bill Clinton, former US president
Gordon Brown, prime minister
George W Bush, former US president
Senator Phil Gramm
Abi Cohen, Goldman Sachs chief US strategist
“Hank” Greenberg, AIG insurance group
Andy Hornby, former HBOS boss
Sir Fred Goodwin, former RBS boss
Steve Crawshaw, former B&B boss
Adam Applegarth, former Northern Rock boss
Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin
Lewis Ranieri
Joseph Cassano, AIG Financial Products
Angelo Mozilo, Countrywide Financial
Stan O’Neal, former boss of Merrill Lynch
Jimmy Cayne, former Bear Stearns boss
Christopher Dodd, chairman, Senate banking committee (Democrat)
Geir Haarde, Icelandic prime minister and others.

According USATody energy and financial shares paced Wednesday’s broad market slide after downbeat December retail sales offered the latest confirmation of a deepening recession.

“Energy prices are coming down real hard on fears of a global recession,” said Linda Duessel, equity strategist at Federated Investors Inc. “The fact that the price of oil keeps coming down really underlines it’s global, and it’s severe.”

The depth of the recession could be seen in recent economic data as well.

“When you look at the reports this week, trade balance, the decline in retail sales, the decline in import prices, you realize how deeply mired the U.S. economy is in a recession,” said Hugh Johnson, chairman of Johnson Illington Advisors. “It requires the help of the Federal Reserve, and we’ve gotten some; it requires the help of government, and it appears it needs more help, and more help is on the way. The problem is nobody knows if it’ll work, and nobody knows what the formula is for ending it.”

Perhaps lately I’m writing too much about global financial crisis and that’s no wonder. Because today it has become the most actually theme of day by day life concerning of most of us. Then we should think do we choose to focus on the crisis or do we look for opportunities I fervently believe any crisis gives to all those who are interested in understanding and teaching financial ideas? No doubt you are doing something about your overdraft: you are seeing your accountant but it’s not enough.

Just think that the crisis might give you the brilliant opportunities and one of the main of them is the new starting point in life. Today you can find a great number of online finance focused resources that are able to help you on the way: though it were getting finance advice on debt consolidation, unsecured small business loans or personal loans, access to cash advance loans (also called payday loans), more helpful tips to avoid financial meltdown in the current economical situation. Just work out whether equity finance can provide the finance you want for your business. There are a lot of ways that can help to solve your own financial crisis. Have a good luck!