Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets is a thorough and thought provoking book that provides accurate history lessons, nuggets of common sense, and infinite market wisdom. I would consider it essential reading for practically everybody. It’s sort of like tuning into the history channel that’s sponsored by an independent network, free from the mindless mass media that controls television these days.The reason I say this is because it’s very clear the authors are anti-empires, Federal Reserve, and Government manipulation. They believe that free markets should be just that…free markets.
I knew I was going to be very intrigued by this book when they asked the following question on page one. What do Armin Meiwes, Adolf Hitler, and George Bush have in common? If you are in the same boat and do not know who Meiwes is, I’ll leave it up to Wikipedia to inform you because it’s too shocking for me to reveal here. And if you are knowledgeable to know who all three of the above are then I’m sure you’ll be able to make the connection and see their common threads. Why it’s World Improvers of course, whatever else could it be?
In fact, there is little difference between madmen, tyrants, and some world leaders. It all comes down to an issue of reform masked under the guise of improvements, which usually requires some type of persuasion, often accompanied by force. Notice how the reform in Iraq and Afghanistan is going these days and don’t forget to send flowers to the families who have lost loved ones in the process. But of course sacrifice is necessary for the betterment of all mankind and “we cannot kill terrorists as fast as the State Department can create them.”
There were times in the beginning of the book that I was shocked, almost appalled, when reading about the McMartin and Witchunt Trials, but the authors always had a plan when discussing such heady topics. Remember, “the country was in need of a boogeyman on which it could pin all it’s anxieties,” and the media is always there to tell you where to put the pin. It’s also wise to be aware that “freedom of the press is limited to those who own one.”
Part of me feels I that I received a more thorough history lesson from reading this book than from my public education, definitely more variety and culture. Everybody learns about Hitler, Alexander the Great, and Stalin, but I don’t remember learning much about Mao, Che, and Juan Peron. It’s all here, and tucked inside each history lesson is wisdom that if we don’t straighten up and learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.
If our Government truly wanted to stop the dismantling of the American Dream they had better pay attention to what the Argentine Government under Juan Peron did, and do the opposite. Instead they seem to be following the exact same blueprint by “encouraging higher levels of consumption, higher spending for government, more regulation, huge new doses of debt, nationalism, price controls, inflation, and special treatment for favoured industries, particularly defence.” Nearly every single one of the above should resonate with any tax-paying voter who has seen their 401k cut in half. Sure the stock market seems to be recovering, but what’s going to happen when the reflation trade wears off?
In conclusion, this book will surprise you with how accurate they foresaw this recent economic demise.. It was like I had already watched a movie and was now reading the manuscript and knew what was going to happen in the end. And there were a few stomach turning bits that I could have done without, but sometimes it takes a shock to the system to wake up the patient.
I measure how valuable a book is in my collection by how many times I highlight phrases or whole paragraphs. Let’s just say that I used up an entire highlighter during my reading and I plan on referencing this novel often as the insight offered here is invaluable.
