Alan Furst: Treasuries & Paper Currency
on Tuesday, September 6, 2016Alan Furst Money Quote saying the wheels of finance turn even while there is bankers wasting and the poor still in want. Alan Furst said:
“The printing presses of the state treasuries cranked out reams of paper currency- showing wise kinds and blissful martyrs- while bankers wept and peasants starved” — Alan Furst
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In this quote, Alan Furst seems to be criticizing the disconnect between a government’s monetary actions and real-world human impacts. Some key points:
- He describes state treasuries rapidly “printing” large volumes of new paper currency, suggesting inflationary monetary policy.
- Furst notes the bills depicted “wise kinds and blissful martyrs”, while bankers (representing the financial sector) were distressed (“wept”) and common people (“peasants”) suffered severe hardship (“starved”).
- This implies the money supply expansion did not truly benefit society in practice, despite the state portraying itself positively on banknotes, and even harmed the most vulnerable groups.
Overall, the quote conveys Furst’s critique that a nation can tout itself through imagery on banknotes, while its actual monetary policies create negative, even tragic consequences for regular citizens in the real economy rather than the intended outcomes. He highlights the disparity between monetary rhetoric and human impacts.