The story of Commanding Heights requires a general grasp of fundamental economic principles and terms, and some knowledge of the anatomy of the global economy today. Visitors to the site may or may not possess this background information—this section of the site will provide it.

Here, users will find succinct definitions, descriptions and short essays on the economic principles that have dominated the modern era. Explanations of specific economic terms will be provided. Important players and trends will be identified. Key themes will be illuminated from different perspectives through excerpts drawn from various interviews conducted during the production of the program.

For this preview, a sample essay is available on the German Ordoliberals.