From my limited knowledge there is two types of money one is commodities as in gold, coal, oil which its the value is negotiated through trade to cut a long and complex story short (supply and demand). This value of commodities is most secure money in the world as nothing can replace it and if it can it has more value than what its replacing for example oil is now more valuable than coal. The second type of value is based on credit or ‘IOU’ model whereby the lender is promised money back with interest which all cash is valued on generates its own value through basically IOU money back plus interest. This is a fundamentally flawed concept started in the US circa 1900’s from basically insider trading. The flaw is this model or concept the debt is never repaid in full or on time and very suspectable to outside circumstances but its very quick to make extreme wealth incredibly quickly without trading anything physical such as commodities.

After WW2 the worlds leaders met to setup in Maine, USA and agreed terms of international trade and redefine the value of the US Dollar which also setup international monerty fund and many other financial groups which defined each countries currency. Roll forward 60 years were still running the flawed concept of IOU from USA business model from early 1900’s and finally caught up with us as expected (100yr cycle) alas the credit crunch whereby these debts haven’t been paid quickly enough to sustain the credit or IOU concept therefore value of cash reserved to lessen the affect of worthlessness. When banks or countries print more cash its to offset the shortage of worthlessness against commodities which still has value so we do not have as someone said a situation of wheel barrows of cash to buy a loaf of bread. When countries sell stock piles of commodities to generate more cash wealth within its own system is a good thing because wealth is created without taking more credit or lessen the value of its commodities by printing more cash to offset its worth generates increased true value within.

Basically to answer the original question those who are most affected by this boom and bust credit crunch situation are those people, businesses and countries which are most reliant on credits or debts to function especially those lack of physical commodities to offset value of cash in thier grand scheme of things.