Ernest Hemingway: War Inflation

Meaning of Ernest Hemingway Money Quote: saying it’s tempting to allow currency inflation or going to war because they bring short-term prosperity. Ernest Hemingway said:
 

 

“The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists” — Ernest Hemingway

In this quote, Ernest Hemingway is comparing inflation and war as political strategies that can be used to address economic mismanagement of a country. His interpretation is that while both approaches may bring short-term growth and prosperity, they ultimately lead to long-lasting ruin.

Hemingway suggests that inflating a currency or engaging in war masks underlying economic issues rather than solving them, and that these actions are taken more for political gain by “opportunists” rather than out of concern for the nation’s long-term welfare.

His view seems to be that inflation and war are temporary fixes that do not remedy mismanagement of an economy in a sustainable way, and have severe negative consequences despite any initial benefits some may derive from such policies.

Birthday: July 21, 1899 – Death: July 2, 1961

Ernest Hemingway: Wars & Wealth

Ernest Hemingway Money Quote saying Wars start when wealth is unprotected. Ernest Hemingway said:
 

 

“Wars are caused by undefended wealth” — Ernest Hemingway

In this quote, Ernest Hemingway seems to be suggesting that wars often arise due to the accumulation of wealth that is not defended or protected. His interpretation could be that when a nation or group amasses significant resources and assets without adequately safeguarding them through alliances, military strength or other means, it makes that wealth vulnerable to being taken by force by other powers seeking to seize it.

So Hemingway’s view may be that wars can be caused or enabled by the presence of sizable riches that are not backed by a capability to defend them through legitimate security measures, leaving them open to provocation of conflict by those coveting such undefended wealth.

Birthday: July 21, 1899 – Death: July 2, 1961

Ernest Hemingway: Live on Borrowed Money

Ernest Hemingway Money Quote saying indefinitely living on debt and using credit endlessly is not possible, but many do it quite well for short periods. Ernest Hemingway said:
 

 

“It is usually impossible for a large body of people to support themselves indefinitely by borrowing money, although a few people enjoy a great success at it for a time” — Ernest Hemingway

In this quote, Ernest Hemingway is commenting on the unsustainability of relying on borrowing money as a means of long-term support or prosperity. His interpretation is that while some individuals may have short-term success borrowing large sums, it is generally not possible for large groups of people, like entire nations, to support their livelihoods primarily through accumulating debt over an extended period.

Hemingway seems to be suggesting that borrowing is not a stable economic foundation and is not viable as a substitute for self-sufficiency or real wealth-generation through production, trade and earnings over the long-run for large segments of the population.

Hemingway Birthday July 21, 1899 Death: July 2, 1961