Derivatives Market

Data: Bank of International Settlements

Despite the fervent opposition from market purists, the picture above shows the need for market regulation.  Keep in mind these are OTC, which means all the private contracts entered into between parties are not included.  I also believe this picture speaks to an even larger issue in society today: the end of the law of the harvest.  People are removing themselves more and more from the physical assets that produce wealth, and instead are profiting from a derivative which appears to add wealth to the economy, but when closely analyzed, has no economic substance.