To Our Readers
The recession was the story of the year. Without Ben Bernanke, TIME's 2009 Person of the Year, it would have been a lot worse
Q&A with Ben Bernanke
The Fed chairman sat down with TIME on Dec. 8 for a conversation about everything from the state of the economy to the contents of his wallet
Bernanke Up Close
An intimate look at the 56-year-old chairman of the Fed
Bernanke's Life
The nerd from Dillon, South Carolina rises to the most powerful job in American banking
Inside the Fed
A glimpse inside the rarified rooms in Washington where the Fed Chairman oversees the U.S. financial system
Runners-Up
People Who Mattered
TIME picks 25 people who influenced 2009 for better or worse
Fond Farewells
Paying homage to the achievers who left us: Keith Richards on Les Paul, Peggy Noonan on William Safire...
History of the Fed
U.S. monetary policy is guided by an independent government agency that can trace its roots to the administration of George Washington
Person of the Year 1927 - 2011
2011
No one could have known that when a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in a public square, it would incite protests that would topple dictators and start a global wave of dissent. In 2011, protesters didn't just voice their complaints; they changed the world.
TIME's Person of the Year is bestowed by the editors on the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year. See who made the grade over TIME's first eight decades. See them all