What the 1920s Can Tell Us About Money Today | The Twilight of Gold Series | Episode 17 (WiM413)
Dec 26, 2023
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Guest Lester discusses topics such as Bitcoin price influence, true liberalism, the financial depression of the 1920s, false apprehension of gold, deception of credit expansion, economic similarities between the 1920s and 2020s, vulnerability of reserve currencies, and the impact of financial engineering.
Loss of faith in self-equilibrating forces of the economy leads to reliance on government intervention for stability.
Credit expansion may not lead to sustained prosperity.
Manipulation of currency for political objectives can have unintended consequences.
Deep dives
Loss of faith in self-equilibrating forces of the economy
During the 1920s and now during COVID, there has been a loss of faith in the self-equilibrating forces of the economy. People began to believe that governments should use their power to assure greater economic stability.
Importance of credit expansion
Both the 1920s and the present day have seen a significant reliance on credit expansion to drive economic growth. However, this credit expansion does not necessarily lead to sustained prosperity.
Shift in focus from stabilizing international economy to domestic prosperity
The emphasis of monetary policy shifted from protecting international stability to attempting to ensure domestic prosperity. This change in focus has had mixed results and has often led to unintended consequences.
Manipulation of currency for political objectives
The manipulation of currency for political objectives is a recurring theme in both the 1920s and the present day. This includes deliberate acts of devaluation and financial engineering, which do not always produce the desired outcomes.
The structural absorption of global surpluses by the US economy benefits the tech and financial sectors
The US economy has evolved to absorb global surpluses by selling scarce assets to foreign investors, benefiting the technology and finance sectors. This has led to an hourglass economy and a rise in income inequality and political populism.
The danger of excessive currency speculation and the shift from hard money to fiat
Currency speculation has become a necessity for survival as governments continue to dilute cash. The transition from hard money to unbacked fiat started in the 1920s and has had significant consequences. While the central banks try to manipulate prices, the inflationary spiral and increased volatility make it difficult to predict the future.
My friend and fellow student of money codenamed "Lester" joins me for a multi-episode conversation exploring the excellent book "The Twilight of Gold" by Melchior Palyi.
// OUTLINE // 00:00:00 - Coming up 00:00:28 - Intro 00:02:01 - Helping Lightning Startups with In Wolf's Clothing 00:02:47 - Influence of Bitcoin Price 00:08:08 - True Liberalism vs. Left-Right Political Spectrum 00:21:45 - Bitcoin and the Left-Right Dichotomy 00:27:39 - Run Your Business from Anywhere with NetSuite 00:28:44 - Secure Your Bitcoin Stash with the iCoin Hardware Wallet 00:29:53 - Mythology of Price Stability 00:34:35 - What Caused the Financial Depression of the 1920s 00:39:04 - False Apprehension of Gold 00:42:52 - Deception of Credit Expansion 00:45:14 - 100-Year Credit Cycle 00:48:33 - Self-Equilibrating Nature of the Free Market 00:53:00 - Economic Similarities between the 1920s and the 2020s 01:04:05 - The Problem with Dollar Hegemony 01:10:29 - Enhance Your Brain Power with Mind Lab Pro 01:11:33 - Take Control of Your Healthcare with CrowdHealth 01:12:40 - Engaging in Currency Speculation 01:15:36 - Non-Productive Outcome of Financial Engineering 01:19:55 - Financial Differences Between the 1920s and the 2020s 01:24:47 - Scarcity and Elasticity 01:29:57 - Inevitable Steps of Inflation 01:32:49 - Future Predictions and Probabilities vs. Certainties 01:37:18 - Final Thoughts and Conclusion