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The problems of the world today are multifaceted, but if a single factor could be isolated which might be said to have contributed more to our dilemma than any other, it would probably have to be considered money.

We are beset by inflation, repressive and discriminatory taxes, wild and
unchecked government spending, erosion of all values on the economic, educational, religious and social fronts. Yet a single thread winds through these multiple woes.

It is the sinister manipulation of the nation’s economy by a small group of anti-American, privileged, multi-millionaires. Many of our citizens have too little money, and a very few have too much. In order for the government manipulators to continually increase their power, they remind the less affluent of their plight and promise solutions in the form of government spending. This involves money which must be obtained somewhere.

This money is stolen from the productive working and middle classes and squandered on useless, unproductive programs which are only designed to increase government power. If government spending were the solution, certainly some improvement would have been evident after so many decades of this pretended cure-all.

Government interference will never solve the problems of poverty, inflation, crime, poor education etc. It only multiplies them.

Government intrusion in all these areas has only intensified problems and complicated matters. Legislators are attempting to treat symptoms instead of the fundamental malady, which is an
unconstitutional and archaic money system which permits the wealth of the nation to be controlled by a handful of monetary manipulators.

Although everybody uses money, very few people have any understanding of its nature. Most people think of money in terms of coins and paper notes of varying denominations. To call money
a medium of exchange or measure of value is to define its function—not its nature.

Actually money is anything people will accept as money,—from coins to credit cards, from checks to trading
stamps. The subject of money has often been a source of confusion to people throughout history.

Because of this basic lack of understanding, a few wily money-wise manipulators were able to obtain control of its issuance for entire nations. This group now controls the money-issuing power of all the large, industrial nations of the world and also directs the multiple banking organizations of the United Nations.

The chaos in our World’s monetary systems is a result of the lack of
understanding by government officials of the nature, purpose and functions of money. This lack of understanding enabled the money pool to bribe legislators, judges and government heads to do their unscrupulous bidding, always cloaking their activities in secrecy and an aura of legality.
Our modern money system has its origin in the Middle Ages. It is for this reason that a brief
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review of this period is necessary in order to give us a better insight into how our present, privatelyowned
money cartel developed and what steps we can now take to correct these evils and restore
the nation to a constitutional and sound money system.
Throughout all recorded history, some form of exchange has been used. Everything from shells,
animal teeth, stones, feathers, iron bars, wampum, tobacco, metal coins, commodities and even
playing cards have been used. The Romans used a form of metal coinage which was accepted
through the ancient world. Some of those Roman coins were still in use in the Middle Ages in
Europe, although often they had been melted down and recast.
With the final disintegration of the Roman Empire, Europe reverted to a purely agricultural state.
The only wealth consisted of the land and its products, and everybody lived directly or indirectly off
the land. Roads fell into disrepair and the imposition of tolls on travelers by towns only tended to
add to the burdens of the little commerce that existed. At the end of the 15th century there were
64 tolls on the Rhine and 77 on the Danube in lower Austria alone. Because of the bad condition
of the roads, travel was mostly by horseback or light, two-wheeled wagons. It is easy to see how
transportation of large items was impossible as larger wagons became mired in mud or broke
wheels in the deep ruts. The difficulties of land travel led to the increased use of waterways, and it
was along these routes that the great towns developed in later centuries.
Although towns did not completely disappear during feudal times, they lost their importance and
remained largely centers for the administration of Church affairs. A small local market existed
within the town to which the peasants of the surrounding areas brought their produce. This was
largely consumed by the clergy of the cathedral and various churches and the serfs employed by
them. After the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire (768), the old city walls were no longer
sufficient protection against the frequent raids and invasions. This led to the construction of
fortified castle; to which the surrounding population fled during attacks.
These castles, or burgs, were occupied by the noble family, and a garrison of knights and servants.
The villains were required to construct and maintain the castle fortifications. Barns, graineries and
bakeries were set up within the castle to receive the farm supplies which the peasants were required
to bring in order to feed those who lived in the castle. The main characteristic of the Feudal period
was that the great estates now functioned as self-supporting units.[1]
In the earlier Feudal period, life centered around the manor and most of the trading was carried on
by barter. Produce was traded on the spot for other needed items. But as the towns began to grow
in importance, more food and other items were needed. This necessitated a modification in
bartering habits and brought about an increased need for money.
The Crusades were responsible for the stimulation of trade, and a definite increase began around
the second half of the 10th century. Traders would make their appearances in towns or often stop
at the castles along the water routes for supplies. Often they would congregate in the towns and,
when the limited space in the towns was overrun, they moved to the outskirts. With this growing
population artisans were attracted to the towns and it became the center for economic activity.
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While the aristocracy remained on the land, the towns became the hub of activity for the mercantile
class.
Bad roads and tolls were not the only hazards to be faced. Bandits and highwaymen roamed
throughout the countryside, and this caused many of the merchants to travel in caravans.
Packhorses and wagons were protected by men on horseback armed with bows and swords. But in
some areas, as the princes became stronger, they gave these merchants their protection and were
pitiless in their punishment of robbers. In later centuries it was not necessary for the trader to
travel with his goods as he was now able to hire factors or agents. It was also during this period
that foreign branches were established for the large commercial and banking houses in the more
important centers of Europe.
Another interesting aspect of the economy of the Middle Ages were the fairs. Unlike the purely
local markets, the fairs were conducted periodically and attracted professional merchants. Articles
of every description were brought to these fairs by merchants who traveled great distances. The
Champagne fairs of the 12th and 13th century were perhaps the most famous, and attracted traders
from all over Europe. The Champagne fairs took their name from the area in France where they
originated. By the 1120s the Champagne fairs were considered to be the money markets of
Europe. At these fairs such items as spices, wool, silk, silver jewelry and art objects, wine and
foodstuffs were merchandised.
One of the most important developments resulting from the fairs was the establishment of a
system of credit. Debts were settled among the merchants—who often had done business with
each other at other fairs. It is from these simple hand-written promises to pay that a complicated
system of bills of exchange was later developed. A debt incurred at one fair could now be paid at
another place.
As the towns grew in importance, the amount of money in circulation increased. This caused a rise
in prices of the commodities and brought about a higher standard of living. As commerce spread,
new articles were introduced and luxury items began to make their appearance. For centuries it had
been the custom for the peasants to pay their dues to the lord in kind, but with the advent of higher
prices in the 12th and 13th century, many nobles could not maintain their previous standard of
living. Tradition would not permit a raising of the rent in proportion to the rising value of the land,
and as a result, many nobles went into debt, and eventual ruin. An interesting aspect of this
economic squeeze was the modification of the serf system. It had become too expensive to
maintain numerous serfs on unproductive land, so many were enfranchised by paying for their
freedom. Furthermore, a few dozen serfs making textiles, farm tools or wine within the manor
could not compete successfully with the artisans of the town, and the habit of attempting to
maintain this inefficient method of production fell into disuse.
Another factor contributing to the decline of the seigniorial system was the small degree of
specialization which developed during these centuries. Since the manors no longer had to depend
on themselves for all their food, they concentrated on growing the products best suited to the area.
Although the feudal population was largely non-mobile and illiterate, another effect of the growth
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of commerce was the necessity of keeping records. In the 12th century some towns began to
establish schools for the children of the bourgeoisie who were trained largely for commercial
activities. Latin was the language used for the commercial correspondence, and it is interesting to
note that “the advance of education appears to have been intimately connected with that of credit,
and the example of Italy shows that the further credit was developed, the more rapid was this
advance.”[2]
The position of the serf during feudal times did not differ greatly from that of people living under
Socialist regimes today.

Submitted by Khanverse on Sun, 2008-02-03 16:02

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