Last Monday's mini-crash in equity markets reminded many people of the dark days following the Crash of 2008. The 400 richest people in the world collectively lost $124 billion—at least on paper—in a single day. And the average investor may get tired of seeing his or her net worth take a nosedive every 7 or 8 years.
Here to make sense of market crashes is our own Dr. Joe Salerno. Why does the financial press fail to see monetary inflation as the cause of stock bubbles? Why is deflation portrayed as an enemy to be defeated, rather than a sign of a more productive economy? Why do even seasoned financial experts fail at timing the market? And are deflationary crashes actually the cure for a sick economy?
Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.
Joseph Salerno is academic vice president of the Mises Institute, professor emeritus of economics at Pace University, and editor of the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics.
Jeff Deist is former president of the Mises Institute. He is a writer, public speaker, and advocate for property, markets, and civil society. Jeff was chief of staff to Congressman Ron Paul. Contact: email; Twitter.