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Expanded Edition of French’s Early Speculative Bubbles

by Stephan Kinsella on February 10, 2024

Longtime PFS member Doug French (see his various articles about previous PFS meetings here) has updated and expanded his work Early Speculative Bubbles & Increases In The Supply of Money. It should be available in early March. From the Amazon description:

Dive into the Untold Story of Historical Bubbles: Discover the Monetary Secrets Behind World’s Greatest Economic Mysteries.

For the discerning reader with a passion for economic history, Early Speculative Bubbles & Increases In The Supply of Money: 4th Expanded Edition opens the vault to the past’s most captivating financial enigmas. Douglas E. French masterfully charts a course through history’s turbulent monetary waters, revealing the underlying currents that drove the world’s most talked-about economic bubbles.

Dive deep into the heart of 17th-century Netherlands, a realm where the simple tulip bulb became the center of an economic whirlwind, the legendary Tulipmania. But was it mere human folly that drove this frenzy? French challenges popular theories, spotlighting the unobserved governmental interventions and money supply explosions that truly fanned the flames.

Travel from the illustrious trading floors where the South Sea Bubble and Panic of 1857 were born, to the gilded coasts of California during its monumental gold rush. Each tale unravels a consistent thread: the hidden hand of government meddling and the intoxication of rapid money creation.

This 4th edition, building upon French’s esteemed Master’s thesis and expanded with fresh insights, serves as a bridge connecting past economic phenomena with present-day market dynamics. Readers will be astounded by the striking parallels between yesteryears’ bubbles and today’s financial headlines, each underscored by similar patterns of low interest rates, easy credit, and sweeping public euphoria.

With Early Speculative Bubbles & Increases In The Supply of Money, you’re not just reading economic history. You’re gaining a lens to view, understand, and anticipate the financial ebbs and flows of tomorrow.

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2024 Annual Meeting of the PFS

As noted here, the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Property and Freedom Society will be held from Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 (arrivals) to Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 (departures), in Bodrum, Turkey, at the Hotel Karia Princess.

Those interested in attending should contact Dr. Hoppe or Mr. Thomas Jacob (jacob@pfs-zurich.ch) (Administrative Secretary/Membership), regarding conditions, availability, and requirements.

Speakers and topics for previous Annual Meetings may be found here.

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