How To End The Fed
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 15, 2024.) President Wilson enacted the Federal
Economic Nationalism: The Current Account Deficit #3: Complete Nonsense
Now I think we have a pretty good mental picture of what the “Balance of
Economic Nationalism: The Current Account Deficit #2: Savings and Investment
We have been discussing the Balance of Payments, or one aspect of it, the Current
Economic Nationalism: The Current Account Deficit
Unfortunately, legitimate issues regarding foreign trade often become mixed up with talk about the “current
Now Let’s Get Rid Of The Income Tax
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 16, 2024.) Presidential Candidate Donald Trump recently
Trump’s Tax Plan Will Be Fine
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 8, 2024.) The Great Depression got started
Monetary Economic Nationalism
In the past, “Economic Nationalism” sometimes had a monetary component. Basically, this was a currency
Good Reasons For Tariffs #2: Foreign Exchange
We were listing some good reasons for significant tariffs. September 22, 2024: Good Reasons for
Good Reasons For Tariffs
We’ve been talking about Economic Nationalism; in particular, tariffs. July 27, 2024: Economic Nationalism #2:
Economic Nationalism #3: Bad Economic Nationalism
We’ve been talking about Economic Nationalism. July 27, 2024: Economic Nationalism #2: Good and Bad
Economic Nationalism #2: Good and Bad
In the past, I began discussing the topic of Economic Nationalism. Then, mostly, I avoided
The New World Economics Guide to Spending It
There are wealthy people, and very wealthy people, and people who have so much money
Bill Still — The Money Masters
Today we have a well-known documentary by Bill Still. Still wants to get us out
The Laffer Center at Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College now has a Laffer Center. Maybe Art Laffer himself endowed it. This is
The Fantasy of the “Neutral Rate of Interest”
Economists today are very concerned about the “neutral rate of interest.” But, at the same
Time To Take Sound Money To The Federal Level
(This item appeared at Forbes.com on May 21, 2024.) The idea of “Sound Money” —
Hidden Secrets of Money
Several people recommended to me Mike Maloney’s Hidden Secrets of Money documentary. I haven’t watched
A Quick Look at the Bank of Japan
The USD/JPY rate had an important technical breakdown recently, breaking the 150/USD level that had
Quick Ruble Update
We saw, in The Magic Formula (now in FREE pdf form), that China didn’t start
Zimbabwe’s Central Bank Starts Africa’s Path To A Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 9, 2024.) This month, the Central Bank
Welfare Taxes
In most countries, including Japan and, I think, most of Europe, payroll taxes are specifically
Traditional Urbanism Today
A person contacted me who is working on a development project that would build basically
The Magic Formula Now Available in Free pdf
My 2019 book The Magic Formula is now available in free .pdf form. Read The
Audio 2024
Normally, I begin these annual messages with some line about my “mostly-dormant” audio hobby, but
BRICS Making Good Progress On Their Golden Path
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 24, 2024.) After tossing around a few
2023 Reading List
After about eight years of focused reading, mostly the Harvard Classics but a lot more
$2067 Day
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 31, 2023.) In recent weeks, it has
Another Quick Look at Argentina
Now that Javier Milei won an important election in Argentina, let’s see what his options
The Gods of the Copybook Headings
This poem by Rudyard Kipling was first published in 1919. It has its own page
“Reckless” Money Creation
Here at Heritage, we have an article: “Inflation: Who’s Really At Fault?“ Since Heritage basically
This Is Why We Wrote a Book About Inflation
“This is why we wrote a book about inflation” has become a bit of a
30 Novels For High Schoolers
The ambitious high-schooler should aim to read about thirty to fifty good novels. I did.
A Quick Look at Argentina
There is apparently some debate about whether Argentina can “dollarize” given its present foreign exchange
US States Leading The Move To A Golden Dollar
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 7, 2023.) This has been a great
Hillsdale College Free Market Forum
Last week, I participated in the Hillsdale College Free Market Forum, a gathering of talents
Life After Capitalism Illuminates The Way Forward For Economists
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 6, 2023.) In 1860, the Pony Express
Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed #4: Banks in the Great Depression
We’re looking into Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed: Sources of Monetary Disorder
Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed #3: Systemic Issues
We’re looking into Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed: Sources of Monetary Disorder
Gold, the Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed #2: Let’s Review
We’re looking into Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed: Sources of Monetary Disorder
Gold, The Real Bills Doctrine, and the Fed: Sources of Monetary Disorder (2019), by Thomas M. Humphrey and Richard Timberlake
Is this book for real? It smells to me like propaganda — an intentional confusion
Classical Economic Theory and the Modern Economy (2020) #2: Mostly Right
I wanted to spend a little more time with Classical Economic Theory and the Modern
Better Money: Gold, Fiat or Bitcoin? (2023), by Lawrence White
Lawrence White has been one of the very few academics I can name who has
League of Nations Economic Statistics
The League of Nations produced excellent international economic statistics for the 1920s and 1930s. They
Narrowing Streets
As a person becomes aware of the advantages of Narrow Streets for People, they soon
The BRICs Go For Gold
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 16, 2023.) After months of debate about
Classical Economic Theory and the Modern Economy (2020), by Steven Kates
Classical Economic Theory and the Modern Economy (2020), by Steven Kates, kept coming up in
Audio 2023
Today, I give a few updates on my “mostly dormant” audio hobby. This is mostly
When Is Wealth Inequality A Problem?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 9, 2023.) There never has been a
The Commodities Price Lag
Somewhat unexpectedly, I’ve been doing a lot of talking about “commodity basket”-type monetary proposals. The
Gold Is Not A “Commodity Money”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 20, 2023.) Gold is mined from the
In Search of a Monetary Constitution (1962)
In Search of a Monetary Constitution (1962) is a collection of papers that summarized some
“Commodity Baskets” And The FOMC
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 5, 2023.) Recently, I kicked sand in
Nobody Wants ‘Commodity Basket’ Currencies
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 4, 2023.) “To advocate the complete, uninhibited
Why Russia, Communist China Are Flirting With Digital Gold
(This item originally appeared in the New York Sun on May 3, 2023.) With the
“Taxing All Income The Same” Done Right
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 29, 2023.) Recently, I argued that the
Why Joe Biden’s Tax Plan Isn’t Going To Work
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 28, 2023.) I was interviewed recently by
Ruble Update
Now that a little time has passed, let’s see where things stand with the Russian
A Brief History of Ukraine
“Ukraine” is basically Russia, and has been for centuries. “Russia” originated around the capital city
International Payments Systems
Today, we will talk about “international payments systems,” which commonly include foreign exchange services. This
The BRICs and Gold
We’ve been looking at how Russia and the BRICs are migrating toward a gold-based international
The Phillips Curve Silliness
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 8, 2023.) In 1958, economist William Phillips
A Model of Leadership Education
A few years ago, I laid out the principles of how to Build Your Own
Gold Ruble 3.0
Pepe Escobar is an experienced observer of geopolitics, who is not the type to say
The Grand Inquisitor
Today, we have the entirety of Part II, Book V, Chapter V of The Brothers
2022 Reading List
In 2022, I finished the Harvard Classics, a six-year project. I originally undertook this as
Why Gold Is Still The Best Money
(This item appeared at Forbes.com on January 8, 2023.) For most of US history —
The Madness of Monetarism
I wanted to say something useful about the problems of Monetarism. We get a lot
Book Notes: Less Than Zero, by George Selgin
Today, we have some “book notes” on the book Less than Zero (1997), by George
The Federal Reserve’s Demented “Dual Mandate”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 14, 2022.) Even though most adults today
Leland Yeager’s Introduction to The Gold Standard: An Austrian Perspective (1983)
A friend asked me to comment on Leland Yeager’s introduction to The Gold Standard: An
Why Does The Fed Care About Interest Rates?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 4, 2022.) In the past couple years,
Gold and Liberty #2: How It’s Done
This year, I reread Richard Salsman’s 1995 book Gold and Liberty, as a counterpoint to
Russia’s New Gold Market
Ronan Manly, of BullionStar, wrote a very detailed and interesting roundup of the development of
James Turk Brings Sound Money Principles To A New Generation
(This item appeared at Forbes.com on September 25, 2022.) James Turk has long been a
Scoring the Inflation Debate
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 17, 2022.) Over the past year, there
The Renewables Farce
Today, $1 trillion+ has been invested in “renewable energy,” backed by government programs, ESG nonsense,
Presentation at the Newport Global Summit
I was honored to be asked to say a few words at the Newport Global
Kitco Interview
I did a nice interview with David Lin of Kitco. Watch interview with David Lin
What Is “M2,” And Why Should We Care About It?
Of the various “monetary aggregates” (at one point, I think over thirteen were identified), “M2”
Fixing Inflation Is Easy, But Nobody Talks About It
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 27, 2022.) In our new book Inflation, we
Interview on Inflation
I’ve been doing a lot of interviews recently, for both radio and podcasts, about our
Your Two Monetary Choices
(This item appeared at Forbes.com on July 10, 2022.) Today, there is a spreading awareness
A Quick Look At Gold Stablecoins and Other Transactable Gold
Back in 2019, gold stablecoins existed, but they were barely viable with sub-$10 million market
Why We Have Record Inflation And It’s Probably Not Going Away Fast
(This item ran at The Federalist, on April 19, 2022.) The U.S. consumer price index
Recent Events
We’ve been doing some events related to our new book, Inflation. We did a “virtual
The IMF Bans the Gold Standard
I heard that the IMF banned its members from basing their currencies on gold. In
The Absolute Best Way to End Inflation
(This item appeared in American Greatness, on May 13, 2022.) By far, the best way
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble #6: Long-Term Solutions
Now that some of the crisis atmosphere has passed, discussion has turned to more long-term
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble #5: Recent Events
After talking about broader principles for a while, and letting the present situation calm down
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble #4: Common Modes of Failure
We’ve been looking at how Russia can go to a gold standard right now, perhaps
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble #3: Day To Day Activity
We’re looking at how Russia can, today, go to a gold ruble — to link
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble #2: Recent Central Bank Activity
We have been discussing how Russia could move to a gold-based ruble today. March 13,
How Russia Can Go To A Gold Ruble
For a long time, people have been wondering if Russia and China, along with some
Audio 2022
I haven’t done much in my mostly-dormant audio hobby — except, of course, listening to
The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect #6: International Monies and Digital Gold
We continue with The Gold Standard: Retrospect and Prospect, with Chapter 9, “International Monies: The
The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect #5: Is the Gold Standard Feasible?
We now come to Chapter 7 of The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect, which is
The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect #4: Arguments Against the Gold Standard
Chapter 6 in The Gold Standard: Retrospect and Prospect is a paper by Lawrence White,
The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect #3: How Good Was the Gold Standard?
We continue with The Gold Standard: Retrospect and Prospect. Chapter 5 is a paper entitled
The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect #2: The Price-Specie Flow Mechanism
Now we move on to the third paper in The Gold Standard, Retrospect and Prospect,
The Gold Standard: Retrospect and Prospect
In 2021, a substantial new book on the gold standard was released: The Gold Standard:
What’s Wrong With Turkey #2: Making It Way Too Complicated
Recently, we took a look at the Central Bank of Turkey’s balance sheet, to get
What’s Wrong With Turkey?
Turkey has been in the news recently due to the collapsing exchange value of the
2021 Reading List
During 2021, I continued with the Harvard Classics and a survey of major European novels.
Square Mile City
Some people have got to talking about the “fifteen-minute city,” which is a fine idea.
Why The Gold Standard Is Still The Best Option
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 20, 2021.) The historical record is clear:
What’s Wrong With “Neoliberal Economics”?
(This item originally appeared at AIER.org on November 23, 2021.) As a member of the
Bank Reserves and Basel III, 2021 #2: LCR and NSFR
Today, we will catch up on what JP Morgan Chase’s LCR and NSFR look like.
Bank Reserves and Basel III, 2021
Today we will catch up on a topic that I first addressed in 2019, regarding
Rationalizing Tariffs
Economic Nationalism tends to boil down into two basic policies: tariffs, and limited immigration. Sometimes,
Prescription Drugs Should Be Almost Free, And Actually, They Already Are
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 1, 2021.) For a long time, people
We Are Going To Have A Much Smaller Federal Government
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 15, 2021.) The original Federal government of
Demographic Collapse #2: Ponzi Schemes
I have been arguing that a decline in population (“demographic collapse”) need not be a
Demographic Collapse
There’s a certain amount of hand-wringing these days about “demographic collapse,” or, declining population due
“Money Printing” in the 1960s #3: Martin and Johnson
Today, we will add to our look into monetary policy in the 1960s, and a
“Money Printing” in the 1960s #2: Rising Interest Rates
We’re building up a little narrative of the latter 1960s, the leadup to the demise
“Money Printing” in the 1960s
I was going to do something on the last years of Bretton Woods, involving William
Stephanie Kelton Argues Why We “Don’t Have To Find The Money,” We Can Just Print It
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 3, 2021.) Before beginning The Deficit Myth: Modern
Stagnant Wages
Today, we will continue our discussion about “Economic Nationalism,” which is one of the most
Some Things About “Inflation” That We Learned Along The Way
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 24, 2021.) Over the years, we’ve learned
Focusing on Value not Quantity
Since we have been talking about “inflation” a lot recently, I thought I would bring
Sound Money Fans in 2021
A reader sent in a useful list of organizations that actively promote “Sound Money,” (that
Targeting Interest Rates #2: Forget About It
We’re continuing with the idea of “targeting interest rates,” something that it seems central banks
Targeting Interest Rates
People may be surprised to find that the Federal Reserve’s target for the “Federal Funds
The Current Account Deficit
Today, I am again taking up the topic of Economic Nationalism, to see what we
Polaris Letter #2: I See Dead People
The May issue of The Polaris Letter is out. For now, it is still free,
Yellen Has The Right Idea But The Wrong Tax Plan
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 25, 2021.) Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen presides
Grand Unified Theory of Indirect Taxes
I’ve said in the past that “tax technology” is actually quite new. Most of the
Robert Mundell, WSJ, 1981: “Gold Would Serve Into the 21st Century.”
Click here to read: “Gold Would Serve Into the 21st Century”
Alan Greenspan, WSJ, 1981: “Can the U.S. Return to a Gold Standard?”
“Following is a verbatim article published in the Wall Street Journal on September 1, 1981.
Robert Mundell (1932-2021)
Robert Mundell, one of the more prominent economists of the last fifty years, died recently,
The Polaris Letter
Many people have asked me about my thoughts on the present situation, from the standpoint
E. C. Harwood on the Great Depression #3: Squiggly Lines
We have been talking about E. C. Harwood‘s views of the Great Depression. These were
E. C. Harwood on the Great Depression #2: Banks and Money
At some point, I will actually talk about E. C. Harwood’s writings, but before then,
E. C. Harwood on the Great Depression
In the past, I did a review of various “interpretations” of the Great Depression. I
Productivity = Job Loss
From the beginning of industrialization, in the late 18th century, people have complained that “automation”
The Bottom 30%
Believe it or not, 50% of people are below average; at least, below the median.
A Brief History of US Immigration
Let’s get an idea of the history of U.S. immigration, as this is a core
Adam Smith on the Capital/Labor Ratio
A big part of the discussion surrounding Economic Nationalism will be the Capital/Labor Ratio. Basically,
Platform Developments
Usually, we will have to adapt our Traditional City principles to real-life existing situations. In
Economic Nationalism
I think I will do an extended series this year on the topic of “economic
Federalism, Not Breakup
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 30, 2020.) Recently, there has been talk
Coinage Histories, 1200-1920
Here are some charts made from data from the book This Time Is Different (2009),
Government Economic Policy Without “Stimulus”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 8, 2020.) For now, every perceived ill
Classics of Educational Philosophy
Here are some of the great commentaries on education, over the centuries — all of
Don’t Let The Fed Go “Full Retard”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 17, 2020.) “Never go full retard” is
Bitcoin = A Can of Shit
Recently, I’ve been thinking about the similarities between Bitcoin, and a can of shit. Bitcoin
Hyperinflation in Germany #2: The Stock Market
I have been reading Turroni a little bit. I’ve had this for a long time,
Hyperinflation in Germany, 1919-1923
Recently, I have been getting a number of inquiries about hyperinflation in Germany in the
Build Your Own College #14: Hillsdale College
A reader complained that I have not included Hillsdale College in my discussion of college
Modern Monetary Theory Simplified
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 31, 2020.) I have written a couple
How Countries Get Out Of Crisis
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 31, 2020.) Today, there is a lot
The BOJ in 2020
Today we are updating our information about the Bank of Japan and commercial banks’ balance
Build Your Own College #13: Parents and Students
One of the biggest obstacles before us, in creating new undergraduate institutions, is the concern
Are The Wealthy Too Wealthy?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 7, 2020.) Today, people have the impression
Sunset 2.0 #4: Take Advantage
We have been laying out a plan to radically improve the Sunset district of San
The Federal Reserve Works Best When It Sticks With Gold
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 29, 2020.) Soon, the Senate will vote
Build Your Own College #12: Additional Matters
Here we are continuing our discussion about how to found new colleges, that are much
“Modern Monetary Theory” Goes Mainstream
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 10, 2020.) There’s nothing new about “modern
Sunset 2.0 #3: Transportation
We have been imagining how to recreate the Sunset district of San Francisco, in a
Build Your Own College #11: Buy Someone Else’s College
A lot of existing colleges and universities are going to go out of business. Hooray.
Changing The Constitution
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 26, 2020.) Listing the changes you would
Sunset 2.0 #2: Streets and Buildings
We were discussing how we can recreate the Sunset district of San Francisco, in a
The Evolution Of Tax Technology
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 16, 2000.) Taxes, we are told, have
Audio 2020
Today we have my annual update about my largely-dormant audio hobby. “Audio” means the machines
Sunset 2.0
Today, let’s take our Traditional City principles and get to work on a concrete example.
Let’s Ask Money Santa For A Better Tax System
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 28, 2020.) Now that the House has
Build Your Own College #10: More Curriculums
Today we have two more curriculums for our consideration. The first is from Thomas Aquinas
Build Your Own College #9: Another Curriculum
As a comparison, here is a curriculum that also intends to be a “Classical Liberal
What Would It Look Like If We Had NGDP Targeting Today?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 14, 2020.) U.S. GDP was down -4.8%
Monetary Systems During Crisis
Today, we will leave our interests in higher education aside, and address common outcomes when
Build Your Own College #8: A Curriculum
A few years ago, heeding our principles, I decided to develop a concrete curriculum for
Build Your Own College #7: What To Study
But here the main skill and groundwork will be, to temper them such lectures and
It’s Time To Plan For The Post-Crisis World
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 24, 2020.) For many years, many people
Build Your Own College #6: No Accreditation
If you have been following along, you have seen that we have thrown out the
Build Your Own College #5: Building Community
One of these days we will get around to the topic of curriculum, but there
Build Your Own College #4: The Method of Education
We are still outlining some of the principles of our new college, before even getting
Build Your Own College #3: Up From Nothing
“The ideal college is Mark Hopkins on one end of a log, and a student
What If We Had A Gold Standard System, Right Now?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 27, 2020.) For most of the 182
Homeschooling for Beginners
There are a lot of children home from school now, and many parents who have
Build Your Own College #2: Don’t Stack Bricks
We have been talking about “building your own college.” This means: creating new institutions, to
We Need Protection From “Fiscal QE”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 9, 2020.) With markets and economies in
Build Your Own College
Conservatives are fools to send their own children to Leftist indoctrination camps known as “universities,”
Did The Gold Standard Cause The Great Depression?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 25, 2020.) When the gold standard —
Judy Shelton Is Not What The Fed Wants, She’s What The Fed Needs
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 13, 2020.) Judy Shelton, a very good
Bimetallism vs. Monometallism
I was engaged with a debate with George Selgin of the Cato Institute, who is
Evaluating The TCJA After Two Years #2: More Revenue, But Not Much More
Most people like lower taxes; the problem, potentially, is lower revenue. This is true on
Evaluating The TCJA After Two Years
I thought that I would take some time to evaluate the effects of the Tax
Get Ready For The Post-Keynesian Age
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 15, 2020.) It seems to me that
2019 Reading List
Today, we have an (abbreviated) list of books I read in 2019. Some years ago,
Life After Heroic Materialism 2019
“What comes after Heroic Materialism?” I asked in 2009 — ten years ago! — and
Gold and Liberty, by Richard Salsman
Among the better expressions of gold standard principles in our time, is Gold and Liberty,
Why Gold? by Alan Reynolds (1983)
This 1983 paper, from Alan Reynolds, was a very fine expression of basic gold standard
The World Gold Standard System Will Rise Again — But, Not Yet.
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 6, 2019.) “Please God, make me good
Edmund Burke on Paper Fiat Currencies, 1790
Today, we have a section by Edmund Burke, from Reflections on the Revolution in France, from
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States #6: Accidental Deaths
One of the things you hear these days from the crowd that seems intent on
Gold Was Money From The Beginning
In the beginning … man mined gold and made it into standardized ingots for what
Basel III and Demand for Bank Reserves #2: Return to Normalcy
We’ve been talking about the apparent shortage of “bank reserves” (Federal Reserve deposits of financial
Basel III and Demand for Bank Reserves
We’ve looked into central bank balance sheet construction as a function of the “demand for
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting #6: Adam Smith’s Version of “Sound Money”
Today, we will continue our talk about NGDP Targeting, adding a third (and, I think,
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting #5: Sumner’s Take
We’ve been talking about NGDP Targeting, which is a popular notion among somewhat right-leaning economists
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting #4: A Pattern of Continuous Currency Decline
We have been talking about NGDP Targeting (or “NGDP Level Targeting,” “NGDPLT”). It is a
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting #3: What’s The Value?
We have been talking about NGDP Targeting, a popular idea among somewhat “conservative” economic commentators
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting #2: The Classicals and the Mercantilists
We’ve been talking about “Nominal GDP Targeting,” which is a popular proposal these days among
Let’s Talk About NGDP Targeting
I think I will begin a discussion about “Nominal GDP targeting,” which seems to be
New Book Proves That The U.S. Can Have Better Healthcare At One-Quarter The Price
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 10, 2019.) The current U.S. healthcare system
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States #5: What Is The Point?
We have been talking about firearms ownership in the United States. August 4, 2019: Some
Five Things Team Gold Gets Wrong
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 28, 2019.) Anyone who has followed my work knows
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States #4: “Assault Weapons”
Today, we are going to talk about today’s typical military rifle, and the semiautomatic (one
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States #3: “Mass Shootings”
We have been looking into facts about gun ownership and homicide in the United States.
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States #2: Rifles and Pistols
Today, we will continue to collect some interesting facts about gun ownership and firearm homicide
We Just Tested The Gold Standard — It Still Works
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 8, 2019.) Humans have centuries of experience with
Some Facts About Gun Ownership In The United States
About 43% of U.S. households own firearms. I did not grow up in one of
If You Want To Win Over Millennials, Provide Better Solutions
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 29, 2019.) I came to a funny
Stable Value Is Our Monetary Goal, Not “Stable Prices”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 26, 2019.) The United States abided by
All You Need To Know About The Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 13, 2019.) Most people seem to find
Judy Shelton And The Battle Against “Soft Money”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 10, 2019.) Naturally, I am thrilled that
A Rosetta Stone of “Stablethings”
Today I have a paper that I wrote mostly for our friends that are involved
Mahathir’s Asian Gold Currency Is A Return To Asian Values
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 18, 2019.) “Speaking truth to power” is
The Federal Reserve and Bank Reserves #3: Mission Accomplished
We have been talking about the relationship between banks’ balance sheet structure, and the monetary
The Federal Reserve and Bank Reserves #2: What’s Old Is New Again
We have been looking at the behavior of banks, as it relates to reserve balances
Why Judy Shelton At The Federal Reserve Would Help Keep The Dollar Stable
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 30, 2019.) President Donald Trump is clearly
“Uniformity” In Taxation Was Our Blueprint For Greatness
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 28, 2019.) “Don’t tax you, don’t tax
The Federal Reserve and Bank Reserves
I usually don’t spend much time talking about current events as regards the Federal Reserve
How To Get Outrageous Growth Without “Inflation”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 22, 2019.) Whenever the economy gets up
The Gold Standard: An Austrian Perspective
Today we are looking at The Gold Standard: An Austrian Perspective, edited by Llewellyn Rockwell
Defining Away the Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 17, 2019.) Money based on gold —
Maybe It’s Time To Cut The Federal Government In Half
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 9, 2019.) I think the time is
Venezuela Should Follow Germany And Japan’s Path To Wealth
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 3, 2019.) Venezuela — what a mess!
The Political Path To A New Gold Standard System
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 3, 2019.) Recently, people have been asking
Good Money Part II #3: The Future Unit of Value
We have been looking at Friedrich Hayek’s monetary writings, compiled by Stephen Kresge in Good
“Income Inequality” Needs A Conservative Solution
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 26, 2019.) For a long time, I’ve
Good Money Part II #2: Currency Choice
We have been looking at Friedrich Hayek’s monetary writings, compiled by Stephen Kresge in Good
Stephen Moore And Herman Cain Would Help The U.S. Stick To Stable Money
(This item appeared at TownHall on April 15, 2019.) President Trump has nominated Heritage Foundation
Stephen Moore, Herman Cain And The Great Depression
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 15, 2019.) Oh, the shrieking! The media
Economics is Easy — When You Know the Magic Formula
(This item originally appeared at The Stream on April 5, 2019.) Economics is easy. You
The “Magic Formula” Is The Secret To Another Century Of American Prosperity
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 1, 2019.) Economics is easy. You just
The Magic Formula is now available
My fourth book, The Magic Formula, is now available in print and eBook formats. (Note
Why Gold Is Still The Best Basis For Money
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 16, 2019.) As we continue to enjoy
Good Money Part II: The Standard, by Friedrich Hayek
As promised, we continue now with Friedrich Hayek’s post-WWII monetary papers, as compiled by Stephen
Good Money Part I #4: Nothing To Say About the “Business Cycle” in the Middle of the Great Depression
We’ve been looking at Good Money Part I: The New World, by Friedrich Hayek. It
The Problem With “Modern Monetary Theory” Is That It’s True
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 21, 2019.) “Modern Monetary Theory” basically posits
Good Money Part I #3: The Depression Years
We’ve been talking about Friedrich Hayek’s writings on monetary topics from before World War II.
Good Money Part I #2: Hayek’s Early Enthusiasms
We were looking into Good Money, Part I: The New World, a compilation of Friedrich
Let’s Not Replay The Same Old Taxation Failures
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 4, 2019.) The idea of income tax
“In Money We Trust?” — An Excellent New Documentary On Stable Money
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 25, 2019.) “Stable Money” is one of
Good Money, Part I: The New World, by Friedrich Hayek
Good Money, Part I: The New World (1999) is a series of papers written by
The Traditional City is the Densest City
The Guardian (UK) recently did a survey to find the most densely populated square kilometer
The Financial System Should Be Less Than Half The Size of Today
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 17, 2018.) What is a financial system
Britain’s Return to Gold In 1925
Today, I thought I would say something about Britain’s return to the gold standard at
The Mythical Problem Of “Finding The Right Gold Price”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 1, 2018.) For decades, we’ve heard this
Net Gold Exports, 1913-1937
This week we will look at Net Gold Exports of major countries, 1913 to 1937.
The Gold Standard Didn’t Disappear In 1971, It Just Went Underground
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 16, 2018.) Officially, the gold standard is
The Decline of Rome
This is another excerpt from my upcoming book, The Magic Formula. It describes, rather briefly,
The Growth Experiment Revisited (2013), by Lawrence Lindsey
The Growth Experiment Revisited (2013), by Larry Lindsey, was the last book on the “supply
Have We Effectively Recreated The Bretton Woods Gold Standard System?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 20, 2018.) Today, the idea of relinking
More FairTax Stuff
A friend recommended that I look at a 2005 study of tax reform options, the
John Tamny Explores The Expanding World Of Doing What You Love
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 26, 2018.) “It was the best of
The Decline of the Spanish Empire
This is another section from my upcoming book, The Magic Formula. The Spanish
Today’s Currency Crises Are Easy To Fix
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 6, 2018.) We seem to be entering
Recent Thoughts on Taxes #3: The Principle of Uniformity
I’ve been talking about some thoughts that have arisen in the process of reading what
Ireland’s Great Comeback
I’ve been working on a new book, The Magic Formula, which I hope will be
Recent Thoughts on Taxes #2: Is the Payroll Tax the Best Income Tax?
Today, we have two main “tax reform” proposals: the Flat Tax, as suggested by Steve
Recent Thoughts On Taxes: In Praise of “Regressive” Taxes
I’ve been reviewing some of what has been said about taxes over the years. This
How Much Should Parking Cost?
Maybe autonomous vehicles will make all talk of parking obsolete in a few years. But
A Trade “Imbalance” Doesn’t Imply A Currency Problem
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 3, 2018.) Trade is, fundamentally, a simple
The High Cost of Free Parking
Today, I want to talk about the idea of free parking, a rather bad habit
This Is Why We Want 5% “Inflation”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 20, 2018.) Whenever the economy has
The “Trade Deficit” Isn’t A Problem, But It Shows A Problem
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 9, 2018.) Trade issues have again
The “Supply Side” Bookshelf
Today I thought I would make a list of core readings with a “supply side”
Turkey’s Currency Failure Is Easy To Fix
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 25, 2018.) Turkey is in the
Economic Ups And Downs, 1870-1914
“Has the Fed Been a Failure?” is Chapter 8 of Money Free and Unfree (2017),
“The Rise and Fall of the Gold Standard in the United States” 2: Pretty Good Stuff
I thought I’d continue with “The Rise and Fall of the Gold Standard in the
What’s Happening To The Argentine Peso?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 13, 2018.) Argentina recently agreed to borrow
“The Rise and Fall of the Gold Standard in the United States,” in Money Free and Unfree (2017), by George Selgin
“The Rise and Fall of the Gold Standard in the United States” is Chapter 7
Five Gold Standard Notions That Just Aren’t True
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 1, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/06/01/five-gold-standard-notions-that-just-arent-true/?utm_source=followingimmediate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20180601#5580671846f7 So much trash
The Bank of Japan, 1928-1933
Here’s something you don’t see every day: the Bank of Japan’s balance sheet 1928-1933, a
My Korean Reviews for Gold: the Once and Future Money (2007)
My book Gold: the Once and Future Money (2007) was published in South Korea, where
Catching Up With The BOJ
It’s time again to catch up on the current state of craziness in Japan, and
What Is “Base Money” Under A Gold Standard System?
I thought that I would address some technical topics that come up from time to
An Additional 1% Of GDP Growth Per Year Changes The Game Completely
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 10, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/05/10/an-additional-1-of-gdp-growth-per-year-changes-the-game-completely/#7f24141532c0 It’s funny how,
Catching Up With the ECB
Today we will take a look at what’s been happening to the ECB’s balance sheet.
If You Like The Euro, You Should Love The Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 12, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/04/12/if-you-like-the-euro-you-should-love-the-gold-standard/#497b7ad32820 “If you like
After 34 Years, We Again Have A Bill To Relink The Dollar To Gold
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 6, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/04/06/after-34-years-we-again-have-a-bill-to-relink-the-dollar-to-gold/#4c768f7e64a7 The value of
The Yellen Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 2, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/04/02/did-we-just-enjoy-the-yellen-gold-standard/#38a188e523fa On February 3,
Charles Adams Explains Why We Need Trump’s “Phase 2”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 20, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/03/20/charles-adams-explains-why-we-need-trumps-phase-2/#34834ecf524c Donald Trump recently
Economic Nationalism
I thought that I would chew over the idea of “economic nationalism” for a bit,
Larry White and David Glasner on: “Should We Restore The Gold Standard?”
I thought I would add a little commentary to this item from Bullionstar: Should We
Where’s The Magic Formula?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 3, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/03/02/wheres-the-magic-formula/#3a4e6da97a01 For some time,
David Glasner Cheers For Hawtrey and Cassel
Today, we are doing a little more work regarding the Interwar Period, which was a
The Floating Pound and Dollar, 1790-1830
Here is a bit of new data, regarding the floating pound during the Napoleonic Wars
“Rules-Based” Monetary Proposals Won’t Create Stable Money
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 9, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/02/09/rules-based-monetary-proposals-wont-create-stable-money/#4b822c96128e I often say that
An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of States (2014), by Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore, Rex Sinquefield, and Travis Brown
I’ve been continuing my catch-up on the state of all things taxation with An Inquiry
Bulgaria’s Journey To A 10% Corporate Tax Rate
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 26, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/01/26/bulgarias-journey-to-a-10-corporate-tax-rate/#12d34a185d50 The principle of
How Much Should Homes Cost (To Rent)?
Previously, we looked into how much homes should cost. Basically, we concluded that the cost
Toward Fundamental Tax Reform (2005), edited by Alan Auerbach and Kevin Hassett
On the recommendation of a friend, I decided to read Toward Fundamental Tax Reform (2005),
T.R. Reid Explains Why Democrats Should Get On Board the Great Tax Reform Of 2018
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 4, 2018.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2018/01/04/t-r-reid-explains-why-democrats-should-get-on-board-the-great-tax-reform-of-2018/#24b65f3c1091 I knew the Washington
Life After Heroic Materialism
It’s been a long time since I talked about “Heroic Materialism.” However, I find that
Greg Mankiw’s Ten Principles
I thought I would like to do a little work on the theme of the
Start Planning the Tax Reform of 2019
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 18, 2019.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/12/18/start-planning-the-tax-reform-of-2019/#38e70d7349b5 The Tax Cuts and
The Gold Standard at the Turn of the Twentieth Century: Rising Powers, Global Money and the Age of Empire (2010), by Steven Bryan
You can tell from the title of this book alone that I would be interested
Applied Mainline Economics (2017), by Matthew Mitchell and Peter Boettke
Matthew Mitchell and Peter Boettke are academic economists at the Mercatus Center, a think tank
What Is The Fundamental Value of Bitcoin?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 7, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/12/07/what-is-the-fundamental-value-of-bitcoin/#6effe03f545a What is the
“It’s The Economy, Stupid” — Time To Get Tax Reform Done
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 29, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/11/29/its-the-economy-stupid-time-to-get-tax-reform-done/#3129662d404d As we get
Why Base Your Money On Gold? A Simple Answer For First-Timers
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 15, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/11/15/why-base-your-money-on-gold-a-simple-answer-for-first-timers/#3d12bcb83da1 The United States
Total Return of Stocks, Bonds, Gold, 1871-2015
Today, we are looking at the total return of stocks, bonds and gold, from 1871
GOP: Lift Your Head From The Tax Scrum And See The Big Picture
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 3, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/11/03/gop-lift-your-head-from-the-tax-scrum-and-see-the-big-picture/#7002573158e3 The Republicans’ tax
James Ledbetter Wants To Convince You That Gold Is Folly, Superstition And Madness
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 26, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/10/26/james-ledbetter-wants-to-convince-you-that-gold-is-folly-superstition-and-madness/#2d1a786f5785 The purpose
One Nation Under Gold #3: God, Gold and Guns
We’ve been looking into One Nation Under Gold (2017), by James Ledbetter. October 2, 2017:
How Much Should Homes Cost?
How much homes cost is the most popular topic at any dinner party. But, people
One Nation Under Gold #2: The Silliness of the Bretton Woods Years
We’re continuing our look into One Nation Under Gold (2017), by James Ledbetter. October 2,
The GOP’s Tax Framework Looks Good. Let’s Do It.
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 5, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/10/05/the-gops-tax-framework-looks-good-lets-do-it/#509e95f5784a The Republican
One Nation Under Gold (2017), by James Ledbetter
One Nation Under Gold (2017), by James Ledbetter, is, pretty much, a gold-bashing exercise. I
Britain’s Path To A 19% Corporate Tax Rate
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 26, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/09/26/britains-path-to-a-19-corporate-tax-rate/#2812c344772e If the U.S.
Real World Examples Of More Revenue With A 15% Corporate Tax Rate
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 14, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/09/14/real-world-examples-of-more-revenue-with-a-15-corporate-tax-rate/#3619e6cf4d15 One of the
Alan Reynolds Argues For the Gold Standard, 1982
Here are Allan Meltzer and Alan Reynolds, arguing for Monetarism and the gold standard, in
A 15% Corporate Tax Would Have A Lot Of Upside Without Much Risk
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 7, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/09/07/a-15-corporate-tax-would-have-a-lot-of-upside-without-much-risk I recently argued
Why Did Trump Pardon Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 29, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/08/29/why-did-trump-pardon-arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio/ I couldn’t find
Getting Over the Suburban Hump to Successful Urbanism
Suburbia doesn’t scale. Most people’s vision of the “suburban ideal” involves large single-family houses on plots
The Interwar Period #2: It’s Not That Complicated
Today, we will re-summarize our work on the Interwar Period. October 2, 2016: The Interwar
Want To Double Corporate Tax Revenue? Cut The Rate To 15%
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 24, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/08/24/want-to-double-c…t-the-rate-to-15/ The U.S. tax code
The Midas Paradox #5: It’s Getting Uncomfortable in the Prices, Interest Money Box
We’ve been talking about The Midas Paradox (2015), by Scott Sumner. July 23, 2017: The
The Midas Paradox #4: Much Ado About Nothing
We’ve been talking about The Midas Paradox (2015), by Scott Sumner. July 23, 2017: The
Why We Should Cut The Corporate Tax To 15% Now
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 8, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/08/08/why-we-should-cut-the-corporate-tax-to-15-now/#10bfe87479ba The U.S. government hasn’t
The Midas Paradox #3: It’s So Because I Say It Is
We’ve been talking about The Midas Paradox (2015), by Scott Sumner. July 23, 2017: The
The Midas Paradox #2: Blame Gold
We have been talking about The Midas Paradox (2015), by Scott Sumner. July 23, 2017:
Would Free Trade Be OK If The U.S. Had A Trade Surplus?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 26, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/07/26/would-free-trade-be-ok-if-the-u-s-had-a-trade-surplus/#4a5b8a9b5852 There is a
The Midas Paradox (2015), by Scott Sumner
We have spent a lot of time over the past two years looking into various
The “Gold Sterilization” of 1937 #3: The View From 2011
Today, we will continue our discussion of the “gold sterilization” of 1937. June 18, 2017:
Gold Or Bitcoin? Gold AND Bitcoin.
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 30, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/06/30/gold-or-bitcoin-gold-and-bitcoin/ “Gold or Bitcoin?”
The “Gold Sterilization” of 1937 #2: Fumbling and Bumbling
As part of our continuing investigations into the Interwar Period, we’ve been looking at a
The “Gold Sterilization” of 1937
Today, we will start investigating the U.S. recession of 1937, and along with that, claims
Don’t Fear The Robots, Fear Low Savings And Investment
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on June 14, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/06/14/dont-fear-the-robots-fear-low-savings-and-investment/#12c4f1e32f79 Ever since the
Thoughts on the Liberal Arts Program in Economics and History
Naturally, you have noticed that I am offering what amounts to an alternative to the
Introducing Gold: the Final Standard
Gold: the Final Standard (2017), my third book about monetary topics, is now available in
The One Thing The Left And Right Agree On: Leave Me Alone!
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 30, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/05/30/the-one-thing-the-left-and-right-agree-on-leave-me-alone/#4ee865f27bdb There isn’t much
The Fed’s 1932 Bond-Buying Experiment 2: Automatic Adjustments Via Gold Conversion
We’ve been talking about the Federal Reserve’s 1932 bond-buying experiment. May 21, 2017: The Fed’s
The Fed’s 1932 Bond-Buying Experiment
Today we will be looking a little more closely at the Federal Reserve’s bond-buying experiment
More on the Depression of 1921
I sure have been talking about monetary topics exclusively for a long time now. It
The Process of Urban Change
It seems like people don’t have much of an idea of how cities change. It
Our Three Monetary Futures — Haven’t Changed Much Since 1944
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on May 2, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/05/02/our-three-monetary-futures-havent-changed-much-since-1944/#196349062e5d One of the
The Liberal Arts Program in Political Economy and History
Many young people and their parents, surveying the landscape of U.S. higher education today, have substantial
What Is A “Legal Tender Law”? And, Is It A Problem?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 18, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/04/18/what-is-a-legal-tender-law-and-is-it-a-problem/#6ac67ec625da What is a
Gold and the Gold Standard: The Story of Gold Money, Past, Present and Future, by Edwin Walter Kemmerer
There aren’t a lot of good books about the gold standard — the monetary system
What Are Our Stable Money Alternatives?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on April 6, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/04/06/what-are-our-stable-money-alternatives/#2b44579271d9 Let’s say
The Gold Standard in Contemporary Economic Principles Textbooks: A Survey
Today, we have an interesting paper by James Kimball, who looked at sixty-five economics textbooks
The Value of Gold Since 1971 #2: The Dramatic Peak in 1980
We’ve been looking into the fact that commodity prices have fallen a lot vs. gold
The Value of Gold Since 1971
If we are going to use gold as a standard of value in the future,
Is A “Strong Dollar” Good Or Bad?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 17, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/03/17/is-a-strong-dollar-good-or-bad/ Recently, Harvard economist
Limited Convertibility: Something New For A 21st Century Gold Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on March 8, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/03/08/limited-convertibility-something-new-for-a-21st-century-gold-standard/ The idea of a
Floating Currencies of the Classical Gold Standard Era, 1850-1914
Many currencies were linked to gold during the Classical Gold Standard era, 1850-1914. But, not
The 1910 Senate Monetary Commission
People talk a lot about the “Classical Gold Standard,” but hardly anyone knows anything about
James Grant Explains How A Crash In 1921 “Cured Itself” — With The Help Of Good Policy
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 23, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/02/23/james-grant-expl…p-of-good-policy/ James Grant’s The Forgotten
“Prices” and Value
A lot of confusion stems from the differences between “prices” (or “purchasing power”) and value.
The Silver:Gold Ratio, 1500-2011
Today we have an expanded look at the silver:gold ratio, from 1500 to 2011. This
Lewis Lehrman’s Very French Gold Standard System
Recently, I’ve been doing a fair amount of historical research, and the similarities struck me
Free Trade And Floating Currencies Don’t Play Well Together
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on February 2, 2017.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/02/02/free-trade-and-floating-currencies-dont-play-well-together/#574384cb68fb As we continue
Book Notes: The Triumph of Gold (1952), by Charles Rist, #2
We were chatting about The Triumph of Gold (1952), by Charles Rist. January 8, 2017:
Japan 2017: Printing Money Without Consequences
Today, I’m updating our story regarding the evolution of things in Japan. This is a
The Problems Of Free Trade: More Than You Bargained For
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 20, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/01/20/the-problems-of-free-trade-more-than-you-bargained-for/ It seems like we
Book Notes: The Triumph of Gold (1952), by Charles Rist
Charles Rist (1874-1955) was a deputy governor of the Bank of France, and said to
The Problem With Free Trade: Much More Labor, Not Enough Capital
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on January 5, 2017.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2017/01/05/the-problem-with-free-trade-too-much-labor-not-enough-capital/#1df8e3bd154a An underappreciated idea in
Life After Cars 2016
In the past, I’ve written about “Life Without Cars.” This time, I think we will
The Gold Standard Vs. The PhD Standard
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 7, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/12/07/the-gold-standard-vs-the-phd-standard/#e1e70eef6b4b Jim Grant, the bow-tied
Jack Kemp’s Gold Standard Act of 1984 Shows Us How It’s Done
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on December 1, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/12/01/jack-kemps-gold-standard-act-of-1984-shows-us-how-its-done/#309802073fc4 A few years ago,
The Tyranny of Prices, Interest and Money 2: The Old Historicism
I’ve been talking about what I see to be a great error that began in
The Best Monetary Move Trump Could Make In His First 100 Days
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 24, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/11/24/the-best-monetary-move-trump-could-make-in-his-first-100-days/#13b8f7972257 The best legislative
JFK Vs. Nixon = Gold Vs. NGDP Targeting
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 18, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/11/18/jfk-vs-nixon-gold-vs-ngdp-targeting/#671a1f4e3538 “Gold vs. nominal
Robert Mundell’s Interpretation of the Interwar Period 2: the “Mundell-Johnson hypothesis”
We’re continuing our look into the various notions that Robert Mundell brought up in his
Why Did Trump Win? Just Look At His Policy
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 9, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/11/09/how-did-trump-win-just-look-at-his-policy/2/#47f9906515ee Donald Trump — the
Fixed Or Floating? Maybe Our Monetary Choice Is That Simple
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on November 7, 2016.) A rocket scientist – he
Robert Mundell’s Interpretation of the Interwar Period
Today we will look at Robert Mundell’s interpretation of the Interwar Period, 1914-1944. October 30,
Nonmonetary Perspectives on the Great Depression 3: Nonmonetary Causes
We’ve been looking at various “interpretations” of the Interwar Period, which of course focuses on
Nonmonetary Perspectives on the Great Depression 2: Steindl, Schwartz and Eichengreen
We’ve been looking at the history of “nonmonetary interpretations of the Great Depression” — the
The ‘Secret History Of American Prosperity’ Needs To Become A Lot Less Secret
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 21, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/10/21/the-secret-history-of-american-prosperity-needs-to-become-a-lot-less-secret/#75d3721c2083 Larry Kudlow and Brian
Nonmonetary Perspectives on the Great Depression
Today, I want to give a little more support to the idea that monetary interpretations
Team Gold Needs To Get Over The Great Depression
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on October 6, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/10/06/team-gold-needs-to-get-over-the-great-depression/print/ I said once that
The Interwar Period, 1914-1944
All through this year, we’ve been exploring various things that have been said about the
Gold Is “Money” Because It Is Plentiful, Not Because It Is Scarce
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 29, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/09/29/gold-is-money-because-it-is-plentiful-not-because-it-is-scarce/print/ Gold, and its brother
The $50,000 San Francisco Home
(This item originally appeared at Strongtowns.org on September 26, 2016.) http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/9/22/the-50000-san-francisco-studio-apartment I have been spending
The “Giant Rise In The Value Of Gold” Theory of the 1930s 3: Supply and Demand
We’ve been looking into the idea that there was some kind of sudden and very
Why Fiat Money Manipulation Can Never Produce Prosperity
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 22, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/09/22/why-fiat-money-manipulation-can-never-produce-prosperity/#33f3a5941f4a The study of economics
The “Giant Rise in the Value of Gold” Theory of the 1930s 2: Never Happened Before
We’ve been looking at the idea that there was some kind of giant rise —
The “Giant Rise in the Value of Gold” Theory of the 1930s
Finally, we come to the last of what I find are the primary theories of
What is “Sterilization”? 2: The Complexity of Central Bank Activity
We have been talking about the term “sterilization,” and various situations to which it is
Are the Gold Guys Ready For Prime Time?
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on September 1, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/09/01/are-the-gold-guys-ready-for-prime-time/#3a4e52377cc4 For now, everybody is
What Is “Sterilization”?
The word “sterilization” is one of those economic terms — like “inflation,” “deflation,” the “balance
The Gigantic Importance of “Supply-Side Economics”
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on August 11, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/08/11/the-gigantic-importance-of-supply-side-economics/#22167f6515eb I wish we had
Blame France 3: Dump A Pile of Argle-Bargle On Their Heads
We’ve been talking about the notion that France had something to do with the Great
Blame France 2: Balance Sheet Peeping
We’re continuing our discussion of France in the 1920s and 1930s, and the France-blamers. July
Don’t Be Fooled: “Stable Money” Means Gold
(This item originally appeared at Forbes.com on July 29, 2016.) http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanlewis/2016/07/29/dont-be-fooled-stable-money-means-gold/#6f6cc06875b2 “Stable money” means money
Blame France
This year, I’ve been talking a bit about various interpretations of the Great Depression. There
The “Price-Specie Flow Mechanism” 2: Let’s Kill It For Good
Recently, we’ve been taking a look at the “price-specie flow mechanism”, a rather stupid notion
The Tyranny of Prices, Interest, and Money
For a long time, I’ve thought that economic thought took a turn for the worse
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