Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Since when?


You want to say: All money is credit.

I want to ask: When did that happen?

I can think of two possible answers (other than my own, of course).

1. It happened in 1933, when FDR took us off gold. Or
2. It happened in 1971, when Nixon took us off gold.

So then the key year, the significant turning point, would be either 1933 or 1971. But I don't see either answer on this graph:


Oh. 1933 is a match with the first turning-point on this graph. But the graph shows a downtrend after 1933, meaning there was less debt per dollar, not more. Less credit-in-use per dollar of money in circulation. Not more. If FDR's action turned all money into credit, the line should go up. But the line goes down.

And what about the second turning point on the graph here? In 1946, the trend changed and started going up. In 1946, we started using credit more-and-more for money. Not 1933. And not 1971.
If you start at the 1933 peak on my graph, stay at that level and slide over to the right until you hit the trend-line again, and then look down to the X-axis and see what year it is, the year is right around 1971. Isn't that odd?

I say it looks like "all money is credit" today because we use credit for money, because of policy. But it was a gradual change. In the 1950s and '60s we had plenty of money and relatively little credit in use. But the trend-line kept going up, and up, and up. Because of policy. Because policymakers and economists think there is no difference between money and credit. But I say there is a big difference between money and credit.

What say ye?

3 comments:

Calgacus said...

Since when?
You want to say: All money is credit.
I want to ask: When did that happen?


Since 3-4,000 BC if you want a historical date, from the ancient Middle East. Since 40-60,000 BC if you want to date from the earliest tally sticks. From even earlier if you want to study chimponomics.

The point is that the statement is the right answer to the metaphysical question: "What is money?" (Oops. Is "metaphysics" still a bad word this century?)

You are just using "credit" to mean "private credit" (credit money, bank money), and "money" to mean government money (HPM, reserves, government debt). That is not what is meant by "All money is credit."

The Arthurian said...

Okay, Calgacus. I can live with that.

Anonymous said...

Would you rather have a dollar, or a dollar that you have to pay 10 cents to use?