On the Manipulation of Money and Credit

Book excerpt: Published by Liberty Fund for the first time in English, "On the Manipulation of Money and Credit" consists primarily of three pieces on monetary theory written by Ludwig von Mises between 1923 and 1931. As a precursor to Human Action, Mises's magnum opus, this volume includes some of his most important contributions to trade-cycle theory. The first essay, "Stabilization of the Monetary Unit from the Viewpoint of Theory" written in 1923 during a period of German hyperinflation, discusses the consequences of the fluctuating purchasing power of paper money and explores such ideas as the outcome of inflation, that is, the result of the increase in the amount of money, and an emancipation of monetary value from the influence of government. Written in 1928, the second essay, "Monetary Stabilization and Cyclical Policy" critiques schemes for stabilising prices and for "measuring" purchasing power. The third selection is a speech Mises gave in 1931, "The Causes of the Economic Crisis". It explores the nature and role of the market and cyclical changes in business conditions.