Bitcoin Forum

I've just finished reading this book: Moneyland: Why Thieves And Crooks Now Rule The World And How To Take It Back (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moneyland-Thieves-Crooks-Rule-World-ebook/dp/B01NBWDPW8)

https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51C66fjcuJL.jpg

It gives a very good overview of the landscape of opaque accounting. Many currencies are universal but the financial and regulatory laws in countries are not; so people are using these principles to steal money, dodge the law and avoid paying tax. It also makes me wonder how much of this money has moved into crypto.

Has anyone else read it?

indeed there are a lot of them thieves and criminals who took over the government, and I think this is a difficult thing to fight.

Interesting. Based on my Google search, the book was published in September 2018.

Anyway, since the title includes "..And How To Take It Back", can you tell us what are the sort of potential solutions that are stated by the author? Let me guess, one of those solutions is going back to the gold standard? Also, is there any mention about bitcoin or cryptocurrencies at all?

Interesting concept for writing book. Does author write about cryptocurrencies and its potential for recovering economy? I have seen such discussions related to idea of book on zerohedge that mainly criticizes current economic system and capitalism.

It seems mainly to stipulate that democratic cultures are just one type of system that exist, and that we perceive them to be the norm from a western point of view but that they are in fact quite a recent thing. But he then goes on to say that increasing transparency in the off shore tax havens is the way to combat money laundering in general. However it is not in the tax havens' interests to be transparent. So I don't feel that the resolution is strong or conclusive.

There is a lot of discussion of the Bretton Woods system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system) too, whcih I did't know about; a very prescient and interesting set of ideas at the time. However the book sort of goes on to imply that under modern globalisation such a system would be unsustainable so other solutions are needed, bit again does not really go on to say what they are...

There is a brief interview with Roger Ver as he has taken citizenship (gets a passport) in one of the tax havens (I for get which off the top of my head). Roger's US citizenship was revoked by the US a few years back.

I get this feeling that most of what is covered in the book is actually a bit dated so far as money laundering goes, because this is the stuff we now know about. My gut feeling is that the smart money has probably moved on again, perhaps even into some of the crypto world, but who can say at this point.

Thieves and scammers not only circumvent the law to get the desired profit, they are even those who work in the state apparatus.
It is a sad fact that currently in all countries in the world there is quite strong corruption. that's also why developing countries cannot develop because the tax money that state-owned businesses have been partially eaten by bad guys in the state apparatus.

I think 2018 is still recent enough even if the "thieves" have probably moved on to a different scheme. Would give this a read. Off to genlib I go.

Banks have the power to do anything they want at this point, anytime they commit fraud and steal money they rarely get punished and if they do its never any serious jail time.  The US government bailed out the bankers while poor people get nothing, this whole thing is a joke and completely corrupt.

They stole people's money AND then they were given even more of the people's money. It's surprising the people haven't revolted yet. Maybe they are too tired and weak to do anything? I remember seeing on TV people living in trailer camps because they were forced out of their homes. And then you have these bankers taking their private planes to Washington to "beg" for money. Crazy world we live in.

No matter where we are in the country where there is education or not, politics or government has actually been thieves because so many people today have no jobs, suffering from corrupt government affairs. Because of this is a life-threatening approach but before it happens it's just a matter of reading to avoid a scam or robbery.

I haven't read it but I am interested , it can add some knowledge to me and it can also be a source of information. It seems interesting based on the title maybe a lot of people here are done reading it.

It looks very interesting, I love reading these topics, I have focused a lot on books by Wyckoff, Livermore, Warren Buffet, this vision that you give of the book is how scammers manage to maneuver from some power entities, it is interesting that you can do the analogy with the market.