Peter's Blog

CPI vs. Zoe’s Grocery Receipt: Which Inflation Measure Tells the Truth?

In a welcome reminder that all inflation measurements are fundamentally arbitrary, a recent TikTok went viral for showing the extremes of inflation over the last two decades. Perhaps this virality will teach Gen Z a thing or two about inflation, its true causes, and why the state is prone to downplay the true extent of […]

The Panic of 1857 Through an Austrian Lens

Pre-Fed recessions, like the Panic of 1857, are often invoked to counter the Austrian School’s theory of the business cycle, which stipulates that monetary expansion causes recessions. On the surface, the Panic of 1857 seems like a strong counterexample, but the full details of its origins– and resolution– vindicate the Austrians yet again. The following […]

This Isn’t De-Dollarization. It’s De-Fiatization

The dollar is in free fall as gold and silver continue climbing to new records. As the global economy loses confidence in its main reserve asset, it’s simultaneously losing confidence in fiat currencies and the central banks that manage them. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not […]

New Evidence Expands the History of Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation is perhaps the best way to destroy a nation, short of bombing it. While it’s uncommon, new scholarship shows that hyperinflation has ravaged economies at least 71 times throughout history, which is more than monetary interventionists care to admit. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not […]

Menger vs. Chartalism: What Evidence Should Money Theories Require

How does money come about? Did someone invent it, or did it spontaneously emerge as a medium of exchange? The Austrian School of economics gets this question right, and the evidence is on its side. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Peter […]

Why Homes Are No Longer Affordable

The “Affordability Crisis” continues to dominate headlines and stump speeches, and the White House’s latest campaign against the Fed is a misguided response to bring prices down via expansionary monetary policy. Everyone in Washington, D.C. seems to have forgotten that this monetary policy is what caused the last decade of inflation, with the housing sector […]

The Fed’s “Self-Financing” Is a Dangerous Illusion

With Trump’s latest attack on Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in the news, mainstream pundits have jumped to defend Powell from what is obviously an attempt to make the Fed less hawkish on inflation. In these defenses, however, an absurd myth is often advanced– that the Fed is somehow “self-financing.” The following article was originally published […]

Why Rate Cuts Only Delay Economic Recovery

Politicians have tricked their citizens into believing that low interest rates will solve their economic troubles– perhaps by lowering housing prices or stimulating the economy out of a recession. In reality, slashing rates isn’t a cure to economic ailments; it’s a poison that corrupts saving and investment and raises prices across the economy. The following […]

Freedom in Money: Gold, Crypto, and the Fed

For the government to undermine a nation’s currency, as the Federal Reserve has done, a money printer isn’t enough. If the state truly wants to give its currency power, it must also wage ideological war against alternatives to fiat, like gold and silver, to prevent citizens from using sound money. The following article was originally […]

Central Banking: Legalized Monetary Piracy

In a free market for money, monetary policy would be unnecessary, with market forces governing the production and use of money. In the current monetary landscape, monetary policy constitutes a coercive, redistributive, and intentional force that benefits the political class at the expense of everyday consumers. The following article was originally published by the Mises […]