Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland

This is precisely what the State is doing. The idea of war, mayhem and destruction being economic boosters is exactly what has supported the thin facade that politicians like to place over their greed and their personal gain that they derive from the military industrial complex. “It’s good for the country”, is certainly easier to sell than “it’s good for me and my reelection campaign”.

The taxpayer will not see a penny’s worth of their “investment” in the military aid budget, which is essentially a forced wealth transfer, a bailout for defense contractors. The public’s hard-earned money will simply go to the pockets of the State and its cronies, to produce tools of destruction instead of anything that could

Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland

This is precisely what the State is doing. The idea of war, mayhem and destruction being economic boosters is exactly what has supported the thin facade that politicians like to place over their greed and their personal gain that they derive from the military industrial complex. “It’s good for the country”, is certainly easier to sell than “it’s good for me and my reelection campaign”.

The taxpayer will not see a penny’s worth of their “investment” in the military aid budget, which is essentially a forced wealth transfer, a bailout for defense contractors. The public’s hard-earned money will simply go to the pockets of the State and its cronies, to produce tools of destruction instead of

Part I of II by Claudio Grass

For any reasonably well read adult, any amateur student of history or any responsible citizen for that matter, the idea that ”war is the health of the State” should be adjacent to a truism. After all, literally nobody benefits from violence and bloodshed apart from those at the heart of any State that is directly or indirectly involved and their cronies. In fact, the more horrific the violence and the more protracted the bloodshed, the greater the profit they reap. Even if they find themselves on the losing side of a particular conflict, they are still the “winners”, compared to the mere mortals, the innocent civilians that die, starve and suffer as a direct result of choices that “their betters” made for them.

Part I of II by Claudio Grass

For any reasonably well read adult, any amateur student of history or any responsible citizen for that matter, the idea that ”war is the health of the State” should be adjacent to a truism. After all, literally nobody benefits from violence and bloodshed apart from those at the heart of any State that is directly or indirectly involved and their cronies. In fact, the more horrific the violence and the more protracted the bloodshed, the greater the profit they reap. Even if they find themselves on the losing side of a particular conflict, they are still the “winners”, compared to the mere mortals, the innocent civilians that die, starve and suffer as a direct result of choices that “their betters” made for them. 

However, no matter how

Dani Stüssi interview with Claudio Grass

Over the last few years, the financial woes and daily pressures that have been unleashed upon the average citizen, saver and taxpayer have put the spotlight on money itself. Countless ordinary people who have otherwise never seriously pondered these questions, began to question basic principles like: what makes their paycheck shrink from month to month, what or who actually responsible of it and what, if anything, they can do to protect their savings themselves.

The recent turmoil in the banking industry also shook the faith of the public and raised serious and much wider concerns about the stability and the very future of the current system. Now more than ever, it is imperative to find solutions, “ways out” and establish back up

Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland

For those of us who have studied history, these Ingenuous beliefs and expectations likely bring a smirk to our face. However, these are entirely reasonable assumptions for most citizens, as the majority of the population is blissfully unaware of the numerous real-life examples that clearly demonstrate just how capable and how eager the government is to do these things – to fail, or to lie, or much more habitually, to do the latter to cover up the former. 

This is the point where my sympathy and my compassion and all my excuses run out though. Unlike the “good old days”, in recent years, the folly of trusting government debt has been quite obvious. It has been demonstrated in painful detail, repeatedly and consistently

Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland
For those of us who have studied history, these Ingenuous beliefs and expectations likely bring a smirk to our face. However, these are entirely reasonable assumptions for most citizens, as the majority of the population is blissfully unaware of the numerous real-life examples that clearly demonstrate just how capable and how eager the government is to do these things – to fail, or to lie, or much more habitually, to do the latter to cover up the former.
This is the point where my sympathy and my compassion and all my excuses run out though. Unlike the “good old days”, in recent years, the folly of trusting government debt has been quite obvious. It has been demonstrated in painful detail, repeatedly and

Part I of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland
To most observant citizens and diligent investors it is surely quite obvious that the current monetary, fiscal and banking system is inherently flawed, hopelessly unjust, corrupt, unsustainable and simply destined to collapse sooner or later. With every (predictable) recession and every (foreseeable) crisis, this structure gets weaker; its very own architects increasingly second-guess it, mistrust and question it and the wider public sees ever more clearly its fundamental defects, its inadequacies and its fatal flaws.
The formula for individual investors (until not too long ago) used to be a simple one – at least for those reasonable, sensible investors that sought stable, predictable and reliable returns:

Part I of II by Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland

To most observant citizens and diligent investors it is surely quite obvious that the current monetary, fiscal and banking system is inherently flawed, hopelessly unjust, corrupt, unsustainable and simply destined to collapse sooner or later. With every (predictable) recession and every (foreseeable) crisis, this structure gets weaker; its very own architects increasingly second-guess it, mistrust and question it and the wider public sees ever more clearly its fundamental defects, its inadequacies and its fatal flaws.

The formula for individual investors (until not too long ago) used to be a simple one – at least for those reasonable, sensible investors that sought stable, predictable and reliable returns: the classic

At the end of September, a very interesting story made the rounds in the media and caught my attention. Apparently, the US big box giant Costco added one rather surprising product to its range and it proved immensely popular. Next to humongous multipacks of cereal, buckets of peanut butter, mattresses and air fryers, customers were offered the opportunity to throw a gold bar in their carts as well. 

Selling like hotcakes 

According to a recent CBS report: “The discount retailer said this week it has started selling 1-ounce bars of gold, but that demand is so strong it can’t keep them in stock even with a limit of two bars per member. The company is selling two types of bars: a 1-ounce gold PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan bar, which bears the imprint of a silhouette of the

At the end of September, a very interesting story made the rounds in the media and caught my attention. Apparently, the US big box giant Costco added one rather surprising product to its range and it proved immensely popular. Next to humongous multipacks of cereal, buckets of peanut butter, mattresses and air fryers, customers were offered the opportunity to throw a gold bar in their carts as well. 

Selling like hotcakes 

According to a recent CBS report: “The discount retailer said this week it has started selling 1-ounce bars of gold, but that demand is so strong it can’t keep them in stock even with a limit of two bars per member. The company is selling two types of bars: a 1-ounce gold PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan bar, which bears the imprint

Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Switzerland

Over the last couple of years, we saw countless examples of free speech suppression and of the steep price paid by those who chose to exercise that right. Divergent ideas and thoughts contradicting the government narrative were silenced and often punished in ways that would have been entirely unimaginable before the covid outbreak. 

No matter what one thinks about the pandemic, about the policies and the measures that were imposed and whether they were justified or not, it is still near impossible to refute that, at least in recent memory, we have never seen such an aggressive enforcement of a state dictum and such brutal retaliation against those who dared question its wisdom or even those who merely asked

Part II of II by Claudio Grass, Switzerland

Over the last couple of years, we saw countless examples of free speech suppression and of the steep price paid by those who chose to exercise that right. Divergent ideas and thoughts contradicting the government narrative were silenced and often punished in ways that would have been entirely unimaginable before the covid outbreak. 

No matter what one thinks about the pandemic, about the policies and the measures that were imposed and whether they were justified or not, it is still near impossible to refute that, at least in recent memory, we have never seen such an aggressive enforcement of a state dictum and such brutal retaliation against those who dared question its wisdom or even those who merely asked for any factual, rational

Part I of II by Claudio Grass, Switzerland

The struggle and rivalry between the “West and the rest” might be grabbing news headlines due to the Ukraine war these days, but in truth, it is anything but newsworthy. This antagonism, this battle for geopolitical, physical dominance, for moral supremacy, and this clash of ideas and fundamental values has been raging for much longer than that, perhaps longer than most of us can recall. 

It sowed the seeds of bloody and even genocidal strife many a time in the past. It stood in the way of peace and harmony, it undermined and impaired human compassion and it impeded progress and productive collaboration. Throughout history and through our modern conflicts, be they military or merely political, there has always been this great divide; no

Part I of II by Claudio Grass, Switzerland

The struggle and rivalry between the “West and the rest” might be grabbing news headlines due to the Ukraine war these days, but in truth, it is anything but newsworthy. This antagonism, this battle for geopolitical, physical dominance, for moral supremacy, and this clash of ideas and fundamental values has been raging for much longer than that, perhaps longer than most of us can recall. 

It sowed the seeds of bloody and even genocidal strife many a time in the past. It stood in the way of peace and harmony, it undermined and impaired human compassion and it impeded progress and productive collaboration. Throughout history and through our modern conflicts, be they military or merely political, there has always

The strength of the Swiss franc (CHF) has been the topic of countless “expert” analyses for over a year and it has received considerable coverage in the mainstream financial press. In fact, the last time the currency garnered this much interest was probably in 2011, when its celebrated “safe haven” status backfired, as investors fled to it in droves and pushed the price to levels that forced the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to intervene and peg it to the euro. Or perhaps it was when that cap was lifted in 2015, again making intentional headlines.

The renewed attention it has been attracting more recently, however, has nothing to do with truly “breaking news” of that nature. It has to do with its impressive performance, comparative to other currencies, and

The strength of the Swiss franc (CHF) has been the topic of countless “expert” analyses for over a year and it has received considerable coverage in the mainstream financial press. In fact, the last time the currency garnered this much interest was probably in 2011, when its celebrated “safe haven” status backfired, as investors fled to it in droves and pushed the price to levels that forced the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to intervene and peg it to the euro. Or perhaps it was when that cap was lifted in 2015, again making intentional headlines.

The renewed attention it has been attracting more recently, however, has nothing to do with truly “breaking news” of that nature. It has to do with its impressive performance, comparative to other currencies, and arguably with the fact that

Part II of II

The big shift 

Of course, this is the Left, but also the Right, of the good old days. The days of gentlemanly conduct and of real sportsmanship during a debate. These were the days when cultivated, curious and humble people argued passionately, but honourably. These were the days of decency, of common courtesy and civility. 

But also these were the days of ideological integrity and consistency. For example, the arguments and the sentiments that were employed by many decent citizens against the Iraq war were largely aligned with those that were employed against the Vietnam and Korean wars. Most readers will likely remember whence any meaningful opposition emerged against the last “big” war – the US “intervention” in Iraq: Much like before, even though the US

Part II of II

The big shift 

Of course, this is the Left, but also the Right, of the good old days. The days of gentlemanly conduct and of real sportsmanship during a debate. These were the days when cultivated, curious and humble people argued passionately, but honourably. These were the days of decency, of common courtesy and civility. 

But also these were the days of ideological integrity and consistency. For example, the arguments and the sentiments that were employed by many decent citizens against the Iraq war were largely aligned with those that were employed against the Vietnam and Korean wars. Most readers will likely remember whence any meaningful opposition emerged against the last “big” war – the US “intervention” in Iraq: Much like

Part I of II

Those of us who have read and studied political history, who have closely observed its evolution and especially those who have taken note of all the tactics and ploys used over the last couple of decades, will surely not be surprised by any of the findings and ideas I’ll outline in the following analysis. I would still encourage the reader to read on, though. Because for the majority of citizens, taxpayers, savers and investors, this all might still be “breaking news” and even for those who have considered these points before, it can still inform them of future possibilities they didn’t know were possible or never thought could be. 

The illusion of choice

From Europe to Australia and to the US, our western democracies, our “enlightened” societies

On November 15, 2021, almost twenty-one months ago, I once again had the rare and delightful opportunity to have a conversation with Prince Michael of Liechtenstein. His insights, especially with his directness and unequivocal honesty, have frequently provided me with a lot of food for thought in the past. This interview was no different. His candid and unfiltered responses to a wide variety of questions and topics made this conversation as illuminating as it was enjoyable.
Good things take time—that’s why I always thought I would release this interview once I personally believed the time was right or, at least, when I would have hope that people might better understand (or better yet, remember) that the concept of cause and effect still applies. Actions have

Threats to freedom of speech and efforts to suppress dissenting views and voices have been on the rise over the past decades. They were exponentially intensified since the ascent of social media and as the political polarisation in the West truly took hold of our societies, the powers that be have been using any and all toolsat their disposal to “defend” the interests of the establishment against those who might try to publicly question its policies (or even worse, its purpose).

Many of us who have been keeping tabs on the restrictions on all kinds of individual freedoms have been aware of this dangerous trend for quite some time already. However, it was during the covid crisis that it became obvious to a lot more people too. Anyone reluctant to fully

Threats to freedom of speech and efforts to suppress dissenting views and voices have been on the rise over the past decades. They were exponentially intensified since the ascent of social media and as the political polarisation in the West truly took hold of our societies, the powers that be have been using any and all toolsat their disposal to “defend” the interests of the establishment against those who might try to publicly question its policies (or even worse, its purpose).

Many of us who have been keeping tabs on the restrictions on all kinds of individual freedoms have been aware of this dangerous trend for quite some time already. However, it was during the covid crisis that it became obvious to a lot more people too. Anyone reluctant to fully embrace and follow the State’s

Part II of II

If this kind of theoretical reasoning seems too abstract, let us think about it more practically: Any public servant, any member of government, and even the leader of a nation, has very different motivations than any private sector decision-maker. Their financial compensation is a given and their time preference is dictated by their job description. 

The company owner on the other hand has no such guarantees regarding their livelihoods. Everything depends on how hard they work and how well they perform and they have no “job security” and no fixed 4-year terms. They are thus more more heavily incentivised to make choices with a long-term view and they do not have the luxury of adopting people-pleasing but eventually toxic policies, as they know they will have to

Part I of II

For decades already, one of the most popular and commonly employed attacks of Keynesians and other left-leaning economists was the one against the idea of “trickle down economics”. They ridiculed the notion that a rising tide lifts all boats or plainly put, the obvious fact that when job creators thrive, so do the people that hold those jobs and sustain themselves and their families thanks to them. 

The main objection to this idea is that such a “trickle down” impact could never actually take place, because of the selfishness and greed of those lucky enough to be at the top. The argument goes: Those privileged few, those “rich and entitled” ones, would never let any advantage “trickle down” – they would surely find a way to cheat and to rip off the people below them

Part II of II

A good start

Whatever one might think about which currency is better suited to be used in trade or as a benchmark or as a central bank reserve, the fact remains that the USD’s days as the “only right answer” to that question are numbered. It might not happen tomorrow, but a credible challenger will eventually emerge. 

As Patrick Barron also highlighted in his analysis: “Led by China and later by Russia, some nations of the world, not wholly within the US orbit, have been building the necessary infrastructure and rules for conflict resolution and increasing trade and investment. Countries representing the vast majority of the world’s population, and also most of the world’s proven commodities, are intent upon industrializing as did the West. The basis for world

Part I of II

Endless ink has been spilled by economists and financial analysts in their efforts to predict the impact of de-dollarization. As might be expected, most of those who embrace a US-centric view of the world and who defend the status quo paint a gloomy picture. They warn of the nightmarish consequences of a Russia- and China-dominated world order, of the threats to freedom and to human rights that this could pose and of a potential breakdown in global trade, due to lack of trust and transparency. 

Without wishing to summarily dismiss these concerns, I do believe it is important to examine crucial shifts like the de-dollarization one rationally and dispassionately. So, for example, it is rather alarmist to predict major trade disruptions because “people do no trust the

On November 15th, 2021, almost 20 months ago, I once again had the rare and delightful opportunity to have a conversation with Prince Michael. His insights, and especially his directness and unequivocal honesty, have frequently provided me with a lot of food for thought in the past. This interview was no different. His candid and unfiltered responses to a wide variety of questions and topics made this conversation as illuminating as it was enjoyable.

Good things take time – that’s why I always thought I would release this interview once I personally believed the time was right. Or at least when I would have hope that people might better understand (or better yet, remember) that the concept of cause and effect still applies. Actions have consequences: this is an everlasting truth

There is clearly a common denominator in the kind of “solutions” that the State comes up with to deal with the problems that it caused (and that’s most problems). Not only are these remedies worse than the disease, but they are always extremely simplistic, reductionist and they never, ever, take into account anything else apart from the political “optics” and the populistic value of each new measure or piece of legislation. There is no consideration about the impact down the line, the price that the population as a whole would have to pay or the ways society itself could be affected. 

In recent years, we saw this kind of flagrant irresponsibility and recklessness in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, when all western governments and their central banks embraced QE and ZIRP & NIRP as

There is clearly a common denominator in the kind of “solutions” that the State comes up with to deal with the problems that it caused (and that’s most problems). Not only are these remedies worse than the disease, but they are always extremely simplistic, reductionist and they never, ever, take into account anything else apart from the political “optics” and the populistic value of each new measure or piece of legislation. There is no consideration about the impact down the line, the price that the population as a whole would have to pay or the ways society itself could be affected. 

In recent years, we saw this kind of flagrant irresponsibility and recklessness in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, when all western governments and their central banks