by Ron Paul
First published 2011
Congressman Ron Paul finds himself outnumbered on the U.S. Gold Commission he helped create in 1982. The deck is stacked against him from the start. Monetarists dominate the committee, convinced that gold is too scarce and paper money works fine. Paul refuses to back down. Working alongside Lewis Lehrman and a team that includes economist Murray Rothbard, he crafts a minority report that challenges everything the majority believes. Paul argues that governments destroyed the gold standard, that sound money reflects market realities, and that monetary freedom means people can use any commodity as money. His vision goes further: end the Federal Reserve's monopoly on printing money and let individuals make contracts in whatever currency they choose. The commission becomes Paul's platform to make the most sweeping case for monetary reform since the 19th century, running circles around Federal Reserve experts in the process.
Genres: history, political-science, economics, non-fiction
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: underdog
Period: 1982
227 pages · Paperback · Ludwig von Mises Institute