One reason why Wall Street got away with crashing the U.S. economy is that an elite few talked a language the rest of us didn’t understand.

Now a new booklet, “Economics for the 99%” serves as an economic translation dictionary, clarifying such concepts as the role of the Federal Reserve and the so-called austerity war.

Produced by the Center for Popular Economics for the Occupy Wall Street movement, the 36-page booklet is a helpful tool for  those trying to make sense of what’s going on in our economy and to help the “99%” make a coherent argument for why we need to change  our economic course.

The Center distributed its initial 3,500 copies to Occupy activists free of charge, and a free electronic version is also available for download here. Print copies are available at low cost (details here).

A group of 18 economists associated with the Center for Popular Economics produced the booklet, which includes 16 short segments that can be copied and distributed separately.