Radio Free Market is proud to present and recommend the Excellent Mind and ACID PEN of Mr Andy Duncan, self described British Rothbardian Heretic Providing Random Misesian Blipverts, Podcasts and Commentary whose blog is here.
Here is a Podcast-interview conducted by Andy with Mr Richard Blake, the author of the Aelric book series, whose voice you may recognize as being remarkably similar to Mr Sean Gabb, Director of the Libertarian Alliance in London, England who you will find in our Radio Free Market Archives here.
In this interview they compare and contrast the inflation and monetary debasement of the Roman Empire, and its split into the debased-money western half, which ended in 476AD, and the hard-money eastern half, which ended in 1453AD – almost a thousand years later.
As the founders of the American republic were very much educated in the classical tradition, and used these lessons to help inform themselves on why gold and silver should be the only valid monies of the American republic, you will be interested in detailed points brought out in this 25 minute podcast. Interestingly, Andy and Mr Blake use the modern European Union as a parallel to the ancient Roman empire, rather than the empire on the western side of the Atlantic.
Everyone is also encouraged to read this excellent essay by the late Professor Joseph Peden on the history of how Monetary Debasement and the resulting Inflation led to the fall of the Roman Empire.
This interview with Mr Blake and the essay by Professor Peden provide an excellent education on these lessons from history which will help everyone to understand what is happening in our world today. Highly Recommended.
[audio http://radiofreemarket.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/19-ccr_show_19_inflation_roman_empire.mp3]
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