Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Glenn Beck, Hyperinflation and the fall of the Weimar Republic

I have stated many times that I don't like Glenn Beck. One of the reasons I don't like him is his constant alarmism in predicting the fall of the US and destruction of the Constitution. He was at it again today discussing hyperinflation with a caller and he stated "read your history, look at the Weimar Republic, hyper-inflation brought it down and lead to the rise of National Socialism".

Maybe Beck should read his history.

Hyperinflation in Germany ran between 1921 and 1923. It was caused by the allies insisting on payment of the $132,000,000,000 in reparations in gold or foreign currency even though the Gold Mark at that time was stable at about 60 to 1 USD. Payments of $2,000,000,000 + 26% of the value of German exports were to be paid annually. When Germany couldn't meet the payments the French occupied the Ruhr and the mark went into free-fall. Even so the Germans were able to perform a monetary reset and stop the inflation by 1923. The Weimar Republic lasted another 10 years.

Of course that doesn't fit in with Beck's narrative (or that of the people like the Daily Pundit or The Classic Liberal) who are invested in doom and gloom scenarios.

You want to be preapred for emergencies? Great, but knock of the world is ending BS.

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