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Economy
Russia backs return to Gold Standard to solve financial crisis
2009-03-31
Posted by:phil_b

#11  There are an estimated 400,000 ounces of gold remaining in the mines of Cripple Creek, Idaho Springs, Empire, and Blackhawk. Unless the price stabilizes at about $1200 an ounce, it's too expensive to mine it. The same is true of silver and gold in western Colorado, and gold dust in some dozens of local rivers and streams. Alaska, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington have reserves.

Russia doesn't have any idea how much gold it has, because much of the metal exists in areas either near or above the Arctic Circle, and is virtually impossible to extract. There isn't enough gold, however, to back every single unit of every currency in the world - a necessity for the entire world to go onto a gold standard.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2009-03-31 19:18  

#10  "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns! You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!"

The "Boy Orator of the Platte" William Jennings Bryan, 1896.
Posted by: borgboy   2009-03-31 14:40  

#9  The US has by far the largest gold reserves (remember Ft Knox) at over 8000 tonnes. More than twice the next largest, Germany's. Russia is listed #11 at 596 tonnes. In addition, the US has in possession for safe keeping a lot of other nation's gold reserves.
Posted by: ed   2009-03-31 13:19  

#8  I invested in Lead, Brass and Steel.
Posted by: Hellfish   2009-03-31 13:00  

#7  Russia may have lots of gold but we don't. Therefore this is another move by an adversary (not unlike the Chinese central banks) to weaken the dollar but it will not pass. Dollar is strengthening every day even with the Obamanation of our current economic situation.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2009-03-31 11:52  

#6  I did return to the gold standard already.

Ever heard of a guy who said: OMG I bought gold and now I've lost everything?
Posted by: European Conservative   2009-03-31 11:11  

#5  Deflation is not a problem unless a society has massive debt, like ours. Otherwise, there is nothing objectively problematic with deflation.
Posted by: mjhlaw   2009-03-31 10:40  

#4  Nations will only return to the gold standard when a major civilization changing event happens.

Aka, major meteor impact, super volcano, zombie attack...
Posted by: DarthVader   2009-03-31 09:54  

#3  Yea, but Russia has a lot of gold.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2009-03-31 08:34  

#2  The gold standard enhances the problems of deflation.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles the flatulent   2009-03-31 08:23  

#1  Russia has become the first major country to call for a partial restoration of the Gold Standard to uphold discipline in the world financial system.

America was on the gold standard up till the 1930s but still had Panics, recessions, and The Depression. The element in most is uncontrolled speculation. That requires not only laws and regulations on the books, but the will to enforce them. Gold is no substitute for will.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-03-31 07:30  

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