There is little need today for an author publishing a work on less developed countries to emphasise the importance of this question. In view of the large and increasing number of publications on this subject - and in fairness to the reader - it seems appropriate, however, to outline briefly what the book sets out to describe. As the title conveys, I have concentrated on the financial side of the problem without neglecting altogether the important political, social and human aspects. I have primarily dealt with the problems of capital formation, capital transfer, capital employment and the associated balance of payments considerations. The attempt is made to set out in an integrat­ ed analysis the problems of capital exports to less developed countries both from the point of view of the creditor and of the debtor, be they countries or individuals. This method appeared all the more appropriate since the provision oflong term funds for capital exports and the question of their employment in the capital importing countries are so closely interconnected that they could hardly be treated separately.