Better Money: Gold, Fiat, or Bitcoin?

The recent rise of dollar, pound, and euro inflation rates has rekindled the debate over potential alternative monies, particularly gold and Bitcoin. Better Money by pioneering economist White explains and evaluates gold, fiat, and Bitcoin standards, using simple supply-and-demand analysis to explain their relative merits and response to shocks. It addresses common misunderstandings of the gold standard and Bitcoin, using historical evidence to review the history of money and the contest between market and government provision.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 185 pages
Publication date: 23 March 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The recent surge in inflation rates for the dollar, pound, and euro has reignited the discussion about potential alternative currencies, notably gold and Bitcoin. While Bitcoin has garnered significant attention in recent years, a fundamental understanding of how it and gold would function as monetary standards remains relatively uncommon. Inaccessible to the average reader, Better Money, written by a pioneering economist, provides a clear and concise explanation of gold, fiat, and Bitcoin standards, devoid of excessive hype. White employs a straightforward supply-and-demand analysis to elucidate the workings of these standards, assessing their relative strengths and analyzing their responses to economic shocks. This book aims to address prevalent misconceptions about the gold standard and Bitcoin, utilizing historical evidence to review the history of money, with a particular focus on the ongoing conflict between market-based and government-provided monetary systems. Renowned for his contributions to alternative monetary institutions, White offers a reasoned discussion on which standard is most likely to deliver a more effective and sustainable monetary system.

The recent surge in inflation rates for the dollar, pound, and euro has reignited the discussion about potential alternative currencies, notably gold and Bitcoin. While Bitcoin has garnered significant attention in recent years, a fundamental understanding of how it and gold would function as monetary standards remains relatively uncommon. Inaccessible to the average reader, Better Money, written by a pioneering economist, provides a clear and concise explanation of gold, fiat, and Bitcoin standards, devoid of excessive hype. White employs a straightforward supply-and-demand analysis to elucidate the workings of these standards, assessing their relative strengths and analyzing their responses to economic shocks. This book aims to address prevalent misconceptions about the gold standard and Bitcoin, utilizing historical evidence to review the history of money, with a particular focus on the ongoing conflict between market-based and government-provided monetary systems. Renowned for his contributions to alternative monetary institutions, White offers a reasoned discussion on which standard is most likely to deliver a more effective and sustainable monetary system.

Weight: 382g
Dimension: 227 x 152 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009327459