History·29 April 2026·5 min read
The South Sea Bubble — the madness that ruined a nation
In 1720, the British poured everything into a company promising riches from the southern seas. Then it all collapsed.
The South Sea Company promised fabulous profits from trade with the Spanish colonies. Shares rose tenfold in months. Everyone was buying — nobles, merchants, even Isaac Newton.
When it burst
In the autumn of 1720 the bubble burst, ruining thousands of families. Newton, who had lost a fortune, reportedly said: "I can calculate the motion of the stars, but not the madness of men".
The smartest man of the age lost money in a bubble. No one is immune to collective greed.
