[VarlosZ]

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The fact that every economy in the world operates on a fiat money system. If hard currency is such a good idea, why does no one use it anymore and also kick the rest of the world in the butt with their stellar economic performance?

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Pretty much every government has chosen a fiat money system because it allows them to tax their population more without them realizing it (among other things). It is bad for the overall economy but good for the people who run the government. The people who run the government make the obvious decision in their own self interest, while the people who get hurt have no idea WTF fiat even means. Brand of cars? Italian soccer team? New sports drink?

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Of course, but you're forgetting the most important reason. By enriching themselves as you describe, the people who run the government have been able to corner the market on mustache wax, which, as we all know, is the essential commodity for mustache-twirling über-villains.


Seriously, though, why is it that "the people who run the government" are conceived of as both brilliant long-term Machiavellian schemers who successfully maintain a strict code of secrecy about their ingenious conspiracies, and as bumbling semi-baboons who can't run the day-to-day affairs of the state any more efficiently than a drunken Kazakh bear?

I have lots of respect for many AC/Libertarian positions, but I get the feeling that some of you guys are actually railing against the boogeyman.