"There is already at least one example (Nigeria) where part of this nightmare has already occurred, as a recent article from the Mises Institute makes clear"
That Mises Institute article is absolute trash. It makes it sound as if cash is banned in Nigeria, or something. In fact, physical cash is still around there and eNaira is a flop and nobody is using it. It's not an example of a "nightmate', it's an example of a CBDC not getting any adoption.
The CBDC will certainly make it easier to pull off a "Greece" and a "Cyprus". Divert any excess cash in your account to those sound investments in the MIC that ain't going to happen.
"Excess cash" being what a Eurocrats decides, not you.
Fully agree, but define serious government, and then how to get it. For me, a serious government is one that understands that it needs to get out of peoples lives and stop coercion. This means limiting itself or accept to get limited. How? Basically education of people, of the majority that is being ruled by a minority that has become ever more detached from "normal" society.
I'd say a serious government is one that 1) has the right goals, and 2) has the right people to implement the means to achieve these goals. Right goals are those which balance the values we all hold dear such as: freedom and social justice for all, protection of the environment, peace.
Achieving such goals is a very complex task. I have never understood why so many speak of "limited government" as if governments were a necessary evil. We don't consider having a pilot in the airplane or a captain in a ship or the administration of a hospital - as a necessary evil. On the contrary we prefer them to have the necessary power to do their job well. I have the sense that many people believe a government cannot work well, but that's a delusion. Human history is full of examples of governments that worked much better than others. Consider, for example, how much better the people of Europe live under their large governments in comparison to the US.
"There is already at least one example (Nigeria) where part of this nightmare has already occurred, as a recent article from the Mises Institute makes clear"
That Mises Institute article is absolute trash. It makes it sound as if cash is banned in Nigeria, or something. In fact, physical cash is still around there and eNaira is a flop and nobody is using it. It's not an example of a "nightmate', it's an example of a CBDC not getting any adoption.
https://nairametrics.com/2025/02/19/nigerias-currency-in-circulation-surges-to-n5-24-trillion-with-90-5-held-outside-banks/
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/04/07/buhari-governments-enaira-flops-three-years-after-lunch/
Thanks for this comment, I'll have a look.
The CBDC will certainly make it easier to pull off a "Greece" and a "Cyprus". Divert any excess cash in your account to those sound investments in the MIC that ain't going to happen.
"Excess cash" being what a Eurocrats decides, not you.
Exactly...
There is no way around having a serious government. So people should concentrate their effort in getting a serious government.
Fully agree, but define serious government, and then how to get it. For me, a serious government is one that understands that it needs to get out of peoples lives and stop coercion. This means limiting itself or accept to get limited. How? Basically education of people, of the majority that is being ruled by a minority that has become ever more detached from "normal" society.
I'd say a serious government is one that 1) has the right goals, and 2) has the right people to implement the means to achieve these goals. Right goals are those which balance the values we all hold dear such as: freedom and social justice for all, protection of the environment, peace.
Achieving such goals is a very complex task. I have never understood why so many speak of "limited government" as if governments were a necessary evil. We don't consider having a pilot in the airplane or a captain in a ship or the administration of a hospital - as a necessary evil. On the contrary we prefer them to have the necessary power to do their job well. I have the sense that many people believe a government cannot work well, but that's a delusion. Human history is full of examples of governments that worked much better than others. Consider, for example, how much better the people of Europe live under their large governments in comparison to the US.
Well, I am sceptical of government, and I think you should be too. There is no reason to trust government, on the contrary.
My late friend Dick Vaughan, who served in Massachusetts state government came up with what I called Vaughan's Law.
There will always be a government, but no one knows how to run a government."
Still, as citizens, we have to keep trying.