Bitcoins: What are they, and how do they work?

Bitcoin is one of the first attempts to create a real-world currency with no governments, no central banks, and no rules
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"People in the third world are at the mercy of corrupt governments and banks," says Amir Taaki, co-founder of Bitcoin Consultancy. "Bitcoin can drastically reduce overheads and fight corruption. At present, it's possible to pay up to 23% commission on an international funds transfer. That's not capitalism, that's a corruption of capitalism."

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/22/bitcoins-how-do-they-work