ABSTRACT
One of the striking images of the financial and economic crises that broke out in 2007 was the employees of Lehman Brothers leaving their offices after the company's bankruptcy, carrying their personal belongings in cartons. This was a dramatic contrast to more traditional situations, where it is blue-collar workers who are laid off. Indeed, it seemed that the latter were not going to be the only ones to suffer the consequences of the crises. The social costs of financial business were affecting several sections of society.
