| 44. To Ludwig
von Mises (April 10, 1952)
You deplore the fact that the prevailing number of economic teachers
and writers are of the Leftist persuasion. From the viewpoint
of the Radical Right, there are no others. The so-called academic
or conservative or classical teachers and writers are merely different
categories of socialists, because they all accept the socialization
of the monetary system. Can you name any "capitalist minded"
authors, teachers, businessmen, bankers or taxicab drivers, here
or abroad, who do not accept the state control of the monetary
system?
The economy functions by means of verbal and written contracts,
and under a monetary system, these contracts are all expressed
in terms of the monetary unit. Hence the meaning of the monetary
unit is the meaning of the contract. With the state's power to
change the meaning of the monetary unit, it holds complete pervasive
power over the economy. To admit this all-pervasive intervention
while objecting to collateral ones, is to swallow a whale while
gagging at minnows.
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