delvingbitcoin
Combined summary - Deflationary money is a Good Thing
The critique of deflationary currencies, particularly Bitcoin, highlights their potential to disrupt economic stability.
Deflationary spirals, where falling prices lead to reduced spending and investment, culminating in economic depression, are a significant concern. The argument extends to the inefficacy of central banking as a solution to economic volatility. Central banks' interventionist policies, often enacted with insufficient knowledge and delayed response times, are criticized for exacerbating economic issues rather than resolving them. The email advocates for a monetary system that operates independently of state control, suggesting that a free market approach to money, leveraging today's technology, could stabilize exchange values without governmental interference.
In discussing currency denomination for contracts, the sender draws attention to the benefits and drawbacks of using USD versus BTC. While USD offers predictability due to central bank interventions, BTC provides an escape from third-party adjustments but introduces volatility. The sender proposes annual revisions of the USD value based on a basket of goods to counteract this volatility, enhancing transparency and democratic participation in economic decision-making. They argue for simplicity in contract denominations to avoid complications arising from fluctuating exchange rates and potential manipulation by third parties.
The possibility of government-mandated exchange rates is explored through different transaction methods and their susceptibility to market dynamics versus official mandates. The discussion underscores the challenge of enforcing such rates in the face of natural market forces and potential black markets. Moreover, it touches on the Cantillon effect, where proximity to new money creation can confer undue advantages, emphasizing the ethical concerns associated with arbitrary currency valuation.
The concept of "social money" or peer-to-peer debt systems is revisited, suggesting a centralized entity could provide a standardized unit of account to navigate the challenges posed by the coexistence of conventional and P2P currencies. This idea seeks to address the impracticalities and inefficiencies of operating multiple currencies within a single economy.
The dialogue further reflects on the fractional reserve banking system's role in currency circulation and the government's function as a lender of last resort, highlighting the delicate balance between financial autonomy and the need for a safety net to maintain stability. It acknowledges the complexities of integrating cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin into personal finance, advising a balanced approach to mitigate risks associated with banking practices and systemic instability.
Lastly, investment strategies are examined, contrasting passive investments' societal impacts with active investments' benefits. The discussion questions the sustainability of passive investing amidst currency devaluation and explores how deflationary currencies might influence economic behavior. Proposals for central banks to issue inflationary currencies backed by deflationary assets like Bitcoin are considered as a means to manage economic fluctuations, though the feasibility of such measures remains uncertain.