Hey all. I'm working on a little project that will attempt to get people interested in learning about money (and in particular getting people to read Rothbard's What Has Government Done to Our Money?). I need a bit of help with my sales pitch. Since this project is aimed at a general audience unfamiliar with economics, I want some bullet points on why people should care about this subject. I need something edgy (and clever if possible) that will get the layperson thinking and interested about monetary policy. For instance, a few reasons to read Rothbard's book and learn about money are:
1. You more often that not use money every day of your life - haven't you ever stopped to wonder what it is and where it comes from?
2. You want to find out why the dollar has lost 98% of its value since 1913.
3. You don't want the United States to turn into Zimbabwe (89.7 sextillion [1021] percent inflation).
4. You want to find out how and why we got into our current economic mess -- and how to get out.
Etc. I need more. My brain is a bit fried tonight, so I figured I could mine all of yours ;) Throw them at me!
Thanks in advance,
-phrizek
phrizek:4. You want to find out how and why we got into our current economic mess -- and how to get out.
Hoppe has some wonderful essays on this in The Economics and Ethics of Private Property, you need to understand the reason why states favour fudiciary media and how it has come about that the banks are supportive of state manipulation of credit. Huerta de Soto's second chapter of Money, Bank Credit and Economic Cycles might also help. I'm sure Rothbard also have some sources of this.
phrizek:1. You more often that not use money every day of your life - haven't you ever stopped to wonder why at it is and where it comes from?
Carl Menger covers this brilliant in his Principles of Economics, you might also want to check out Rothbard or Mises' exposition of the regression theorem to explain why the state cannot bring about fiat money from nowhere. It's covered nicely in Man, Economy and State and The Theory of Money and Credit.
phrizek:3. You don't want the United States to turn into Zimbabwe (89.7 sextillion [1021] percent inflation).
This almost speaks for itself.
"You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
Bob Dylan
Nothing?
You could say something to the effect of:
1.)Have you always thought that income taxes, sales taxes, and payroll taxes (property, etc.) were the only taxes? Think again. The inflation tax, while sneaky and unnoticeable, is just as burdensome!
2.) Have you wondered if your money is safe at the bank? See how only small percentage is available and why the FDIC guarantee is sham! (I couldn't remember if this is in the book).
3.) Find out why hoarding money isn't bad at all!
4.) Find out why having a stable amount of money in a society is better then have more or less money!
These are just some, and if you use anything like them I'm sure you'll want to revise them.
Yeah, these are all good ones. I'll adapt some of these ideas to my needs. Thanks :)
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