Famed French Microbiologist Louis Pasteur once said that “fortune favors the prepared mind”. When the topic of the apocalypse comes up, this quote definitely holds water. If you’re truly wise, you’ll endeavor to build self-sufficient homes, stock up on necessary supplies, and research on potential scenarios to find out what else you may need | 404. One of these scenarios often touches the topic of economics and finances. A common enough question that comes up for a lot of preppers is, what value will money hold when the world, as you know it, comes to an end?
The Present Value of Money
The value of the money or currency that you carry largely affects what you can purchase like groceries or gas. It affects what sort of preparations you can do to your homestead as well. In the world’s present state, money is both goods and a method of exchange that is heavily determined by economic demand. This economical demand is greatly determined by society as a whole on what we deem is valuable like goods and services. The money will only retain its value as long as we collectively decide it is worth what we get for it.
So as of present-day standards, society puts a lot of stock in things that have a high monetary value like oil, valuable currencies (Kuwait Dinar and Bahraini Dinar), and even intangible things like intellectual property and patents. It’s not surprising that the idea that a single moment would render all of these irrelevant terrifies the masses. If you want to prepare for doomsday scenario being able to discern the difference between what’s valuable now and what’s valuable in an SHTF event is crucial.
After a Collapse
In an SHTF scenario, the value of tradable forms like coins, paper, gold, and others will suddenly come into question. Everyone who’s ever laid eyes on a movie like Mad Max or Waterworld will know that everyday things that a taken for granted end up the most valuable. When people are scrambling to grab whatever supplies they can get, no one really stops to think about the current exchange rate, how much they’ve got stowed away in banks | 410, or even the value of any stocks they’ve invested. An end of the world scenario flips the switch on what people will consider valuable and what is acceptable currency.
People who make it a point to review and practice end game scenarios should have a good idea of what things go first. After a collapse of polite society, there are certain items that will disappear in the blink of an eye like bottled water, cooking oil, charcoal, and even the contents of the frozen meat section in groceries. It is during this chaotic time that people tend to panic and grab the things that they think will help them survive.
The New Currency
65.5% of Americans have begun to stockpile what they think they need in the event of a natural or political collapse. If you are one of them, the earlier you realize that money can become completely useless the better. It is generally understood that those who do not have their own supplies will have to consider a trade or barter to obtain goods. So what exactly do you use to trade?
Popular belief would put stock in things that people take for granted like spices, sugar, salt, and even tissue paper. Entertainment will remain to be in demand so things like books, paper, pencils, and even crayons increases in value. Necessities like shoes, gas, and clean water will heighten in value as these can be difficult to come by in an emergency situation. It also stands to reason that certain items that are considered vices, like alcohol or cigarettes, will be highly valuable as well. Other basic things that will skyrocket in value will be candles, sewing kits, socks, and blankets. Things can help build fires like matches and lighters can be viable options for currency–especially if you are able to start fires naturally because of your survival skills.
Items like lumber will be an effective bartering tool as it will be used for staying warm, cooking, and even building shelter. An end of the world scenario will still see certain things maintain their value like livestock. These will continue to be tradable goods–especially ones which breed quickly and are edible like rabbits. The basics are generally considered the best forms of new currency after the endgame event. Methods and items to protect yourself with will also be extremely valuable when the time comes. While guns and ammo are good forms of currency, they’re not exactly something you’ll want to trade. Always remember that while you’re thinking of new forms of currency, there are certain things that should never be let go.
Things you Shouldn’t Treat as Currency
While there is a drive up of things that can be considered new currency, there will be things that are much too important to trade or be used as currency. Things like medicine should be guarded well. In the end days, there is no telling if more pharmaceutical drugs will be produced. Items that can help you obtain intelligence on the developing situation like radios should not be up for trade or sale. Your source of food and clean water should be guarded because your life will quite literally depend on it. When you’re assessing what are non-negotiable and which are acceptable forms of currency, it will all boil down to what you can feasibly survive without. If trading a few pounds of salt or certain pieces of livestock will not affect your survival as a whole, only then will it be considered good forms of currency on your end.
In preparation for the end times, it is important to note that economics will continue to play an integral part in society. When you have what you need, this saves you from being in the position of bartering something truly precious in exchange for basic necessities. Continuously re-evaluating the supposed value of money is always good practice when you want to shore up your survival in difficult times.
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For years, I lived with a weight in my chest that I couldn’t quite name. It was an innate feeling—a frequency—that the structures we rely on in the U.S. were far more fragile than we were told. When I first started prepping, I didn’t have a spreadsheet or a real strategy. I was moving on pure instinct.
Because I was acting before the “proof” was on the evening news, people thought I was overreacting. Some even used the “C” word—crazy. Looking back, I realize I wasted a lot of time, energy, and money on the wrong things because I was reactive rather than strategic. But I’ve learned that most people won’t see the failure until it hits their own kitchen table. By then, the window for calm preparation has already slammed shut.
The “K-Shaped” Reality
You might hear people talking about a “K-shaped” economy. Think of the letter “K” and the way its two arms point in opposite directions.
The top arm: Wealthy families and big tech companies are doing great. On paper, the stock market looks “fine.”
The bottom arm: The average American family is struggling with record-high debt and the rising cost of essentials like groceries and rent.
When you see “growth” in the headlines but feel the squeeze at the register, you aren’t imagining things. The system is splitting, and the foundation most of us stand on is thinning out.
The “Glitches” are Getting Louder
We are also seeing a rise in “systemic glitches.” Take the Amazon (AWS) server outages that have become more frequent. When those servers go down, it doesn’t just stop people from ordering packages. It paralyzes entire industries—banks can’t process payments, hospital systems lag, and even “smart” home security stops working.
We are becoming way too comfortable with “technical difficulties.” These aren’t just one-off accidents; they are signs that our digital infrastructure is overloaded and vulnerable.
The AI Shift and the Job Market
At the same time, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the job market. While we have a shortage of people in physical trades—like plumbers and nurses—the “office” world is being turned upside down. AI is already replacing roles in data entry, research, and basic accounting. This leaves hard-working people wondering where they fit in a world that is automating their paychecks away.
Summary: What This Means For You
If you feel like something is wrong, you aren’t “crazy”—you’re just picking up on the signals before the noise becomes a roar.
The Safety Net is Thinning: You cannot rely on “the system” to be your only backup.
Knowledge is Your Best Asset: Understanding these signs now gives you the “lead time” to prepare without panic.
Confidence is the Goal: Prepping isn’t about hiding; it’s about having the supplies and the plan so you can keep “creating magic” even when things get rocky.
From Intuition to Action
The feeling you have in your gut isn’t a glitch—it’s your early warning system. For too long, we’ve been conditioned to ignore our instincts and wait for an official announcement before we take action. But by the time the “official” word comes down, the shelves are usually empty and the prices have already spiked.
I’ve been where you are. I spent years feeling like I was “overreacting” while watching the foundation of our society shift. I learned the hard way that prepping without a plan leads to wasted resources and unnecessary stress. But I also learned that the moment you take that first step toward self-sufficiency, the fear starts to fade.
You don’t need to have every answer today. You just need to stop ignoring the signals. By shifting your mindset from “victim of circumstance” to “strategic protector,” you reclaim your peace of mind. We are living through a period of massive transition, but you don’t have to go through it empty-handed. Let’s get serious, get organized, and build the confidence you need to handle whatever comes next.
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One of the oldest forms of commerce in human society is the barter system, and it was considered the norm for a majority of human existence before the advent of currency. While it is not used as our primary method of obtaining goods and services in today’s modern society it is still alive and well in small ways through smaller groups of people, small towns, and in less developed areas of the world.
For those of us living in developed areas we rely on the supply chain to get us the goods we need, and in exchange for the currency we make while working we have access to everything we need. What happens if there is a failure in that supply chain? How do people and communities ensure they have the resources they need? The answer lies in reviving the barter systems of old and working together for the benefit of not only ourselves, but the community around us.
Before we get into how the barter system can help us, let’s take a look at how our modern supply chain works, how fragile it really is, and the many events that can lead to the collapse of the system that ensures we have access to our resources.
A supply chain is defined as the network of all individuals, organizations, resources, activities, and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product. It encompasses everything from the delivery of source materials from the supplier to the manufacturer to its eventual delivery to the end user. As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts to make any one final product available for purchase. The steps go something like this:
Planning the inventory and manufacturing processes to ensure that supply and demand are adequately balanced.
Manufacturing or sourcing the materials needed to create the final product.
Assembling parts and testing the product.
Packaging the product for shipment or holding it in inventory until a later date.
Transporting and delivering the finished product to the distributor, retailer, or consumer.
Take any one step or resource out of this chain, and the chain breaks. Supply chains are complex and deeply rooted in the very existence of our society. The more we evolve into a society that relies on same- or next-day delivery, the more important the supply chain becomes. Unfortunately, that also makes us almost completely dependent on supply chains to function correctly.
The Fragile Nature of the Supply Chain
The problem is that our supply chain is extremely fragile. The United States has learned to run on a “just-in-time” delivery system. We see it at home with our daily Amazon deliveries, sometimes arriving the same day we order them. What some might not realize is that most big-box stores operate the same way. When you walk into a Walmart around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night and see aisles full of pallets of assorted goods waiting to be stocked, it’s because those items were ordered the night before and are ready to go on the shelves 24 hours later.
The problem with a just-in-time system is that the smallest crack in the system can instantly start to create issues. Let’s look at that from the first point in the supply chains. Raw materials. If a farmer has a drought and can’t grow wheat, how many different products does that impact the back end of our supply chain?
Above: Empty shelves during a supply chain collapse.
Supply Chain Failures
So, what can cause a failure in the supply chain? Just about anything. Some of the more common causes in recent years are natural disasters. We’ve been seeing a lot of weather anomalies in regions not typically known for them, such as wildfires in Canada or massive flooding from hurricanes like Katrina in 2005 or Helene in 2024.
What about snowstorms producing so much snow that travel becomes impossible? Remember the storms in the early ‘90s that pummeled the East Coast? Or the “snowpocalypse” in Texas in 2022 that essentially shut down the state because they weren’t equipped to handle such weather? What about the time an Evergreen ship got stuck in the Suez Canal in March of 2021? On March 28, at least 369 ships were queuing to pass through the canal, stranding an estimated US$9.6 billion worth of trade.
Those numbers affected the global supply chain. These are some of the more extreme examples, but this trickles all the way down to the most local level. What happens if your local pharmacy doesn’t get their delivery on time because for any number of reasons like the transport truck broke down or the warehouse lost power and now you can’t get a medication that is vital to your survival?
In some situations, roads can become impassable, infrastructure can be damaged, personnel can be impacted and the supply chain quickly decays. It’s important to note that when weather impacts a specific region, it can sometimes take months or even years for things to return to normal.
What about issues with the workforce? A large union strike like we saw with the UPS drivers in 2023 or the International Longshoremen’s Association in 2024 or a global pandemic like we saw in 2020 can quickly cripple the people who keep the supply chain moving. Any adult today lived through the pandemic. That was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, and we hope never to see again, but it can’t be ruled out.
It was the worst shock our supply chain has ever faced. The global economy essentially stopped, and our day-to-day lives changed drastically. Some aspects will never go back to the way they were before. Then there’s the possibility of cyberattacks or interference from a foreign country. Remember the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline in 2021? These are just a few examples of what can cripple our supply chain and economy.
How a Barter System Could Fill the Gaps
So how do we stay ahead of these issues? What can we do to combat the vulnerabilities of a just-in-time delivery system? One answer might be to take a deeper look at a barter system. A barter system uses direct trade for goods, a practice that dates back to around 6000 BC with Mesopotamian tribes. Ancient people traded food, spices, and weapons.
In the Middle Ages, Europeans traveled across the globe to barter crafts and furs in exchange for silks and perfumes. By the time Colonial America emerged, people exchanged musket balls, deer skins, and wheat. While money eventually replaced the barter system, bartering has never truly disappeared and remains a viable system today. It may be worth revisiting more seriously.
Benefits of Barter in Times of Crisis
In the collapse of regular society and supply chains, it seems natural to revert to this tried-and-true system. Whether it’s a long-term or short-term problem, it’s in your interest to prepare for this before you need it. What do you have to offer? Skills, resources, or goods—what can you trade for the things you and your family need? Here are some ideas:
Food and Water: Trading food products for essential services. Do you grow anything? Can you produce clean, safe drinking water? Do you have a stockpile of preserved goods?
Skills and Labor: Offering skilled services (carpentry, plumbing, medical care) in exchange for tangible goods or other services.
Craftsmanship and Homemade Goods: Woodworkers, tailors, and artisans exchanging handmade items for other necessities.
Energy and Utilities: Trading energy resources like firewood, solar-powered batteries, or fuel for essential goods.
Bartering also offers flexibility in situations where currency loses its value. For example, in the Weimar Republic in post-World War I Germany, hyperinflation rendered money practically worthless, and citizens turned to barter for everyday needs.
Similarly, Venezuela’s currency collapse has prompted the use of bartering for food and medical supplies. This highlights the adaptability and sustainability of barter when money itself becomes unstable.
It is also important to consider your location. While rural areas may have more access to resources like land and firewood, urban communities might adapt differently to bartering, especially with limited space.
For example, specialized skills like repair services, urban farming, or water filtration might be highly valuable in city environments. Consider building a library of skills rather than relying solely on stockpiling physical items you might not have space to store.
Bartering isn’t just a historical relic, it’s alive and well today. In Greece, which faced a severe economic crisis in the 2010s, bartering networks popped up across the country, allowing people to exchange services like teaching or home repairs for food and clothing. Similarly, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some communities turned to online barter platforms where users exchanged goods like household items or skills such as tutoring in return for essential supplies.
As I maintain and add to my preps, I’m starting to look at things more specifically from a barter standpoint. I need to stockpile what my family needs, but also items others may find valuable. For example, I’ve invested in a still. A still can be used for a variety of purposes: making distilled beverages, essential oils, clean drinking water, and even certain medicines.
All these products can be useful to me and valuable to others for barter. I’ve also been investing in my skills. Welding, mechanics, and construction are areas that come easily to me but might be foreign to others. These skills could be valuable in a barter system.
Challenges and Risks of Bartering
Does currency have a place in a barter system? Absolutely, but it might not look the same. Currency could be made up of precious metals, similar to our first coins, or even bullets—how many .22L rounds would equal a “dollar”? Establishing value is one of the challenges of a barter system. Determining equal value between goods and services can be difficult.
Would you stitch up a leg wound for a loaf of bread? How many chickens is a running motorcycle worth? Perishability is another factor to consider, as some goods like food can spoil and may not be suitable for long-term bartering.
If you are proficient in food preservation maybe you can take tomatoes that would normally only last a few weeks and jar them, so they are shelf stable almost indefinitely. Additionally, bartering tends to work best in tight-knit or local communities where trust and mutual understanding are high.
Modern technology offers digital and modern adaptations to bartering. Peer-to-peer barter apps and digital platforms like social media groups or local online forums facilitate trade in real-time. Facebook Marketplace already serves as a place where people can network and barter. However, in a grid-down situation, these digital options may not be available.
Taking Action to Build Barter Systems Now
What steps can you take to implement a barter system in your community? First, identify your resources and skills. Encourage individuals and families to assess what they can offer. Next, set up physical or digital places where people can meet and discuss potential trades. Barter markets or swap events can foster community participation.
Establishing barter meetups now would allow your community to get used to the system and feel comfortable with the concepts. It may also be important to develop a loose set of guidelines to ensure fairness, safety, and efficiency. Doing this now, before a crisis occurs, can be hugely beneficial to you, your family, and your community. It’s always easier to have a system in place before disaster strikes than to implement it afterward.
Bartering might not be the be-all and end-all of survival strategies, but it fits into a larger strategy for self-reliance and resilience. Bartering alone may not solve all problems, so complementing it with other preparedness measures like learning how to grow food, purify water, or generate energy independently can help you become more self-reliant overall.
I’m a firm believer that a rising tide raises all ships, and while it’s important to build a strong community of like-minded and capable people, that journey starts in your own home. Making you and your family as prepared as possible is just the beginning.
The goal should be to create a network of self-reliant individuals, each with something valuable to offer. Bartering can be a key part of that larger picture of resilience, but it’s the combination of preparation, skill-building, and resource management that ultimately sustains communities when the unexpected occurs.
Final Thoughts
In the end, having a system like barter in place doesn’t just help ensure access to vital goods and services during a crisis—it fosters a sense of connection and cooperation. When the grid goes down or supply chains collapse, people will naturally turn to one another for support. Being prepared for that moment, both individually and as a community, could make all the difference.
The sooner we begin these conversations and take action, the better equipped we will be to face whatever challenges the future might hold. Whether through learning new skills, gathering valuable resources, or building trust in local networks, we have the opportunity to strengthen our communities and enhance our overall resilience, starting right now.
Quick Reference to Common Barter Goods
Stockpiling goods, the ability to grow or raise your own food, and having some basic skills can put you in a great position during any emergency situation that results in a collapse of the supply chain. Having some extra stock and the willingness to lend your skills to others can enable you to barter with others in the community and not only survive but thrive!
Here are some commonly barterable goods and services with some examples in each category. This far from an exhaustive list, but should be enough to get your wheels turning:
Canned Food: Vegetables, Meat, and Tuna Fish.
Dried Food: Rice, beans, and pasta.
Clean Water: Bottled water and filtration systems.
Baby Supplies: Diapers, clothing, and shelf stable formula.
Weather Related Gear: Raincoats, winter clothing, and umbrellas.
Building Materials: Plaster, Paint, and lumber.
Hygiene Items: Toothpaste, soap, and deodorant.
Batteries: AA, AAA, C, and D cell.
Precious Metals: Silver and gold coins.
Footwear: Sneakers, work boots, and weather specific footwear
Fresh Produce and Meat: Grow produce and Raise Livestock.
Tools: Hammers, saw blades, screw drivers, and cutting tools.
Hardware: Screws, nails, and washers.
Comfort Items: Blankets, pillows, games, books, and liquor.
Common Medication: Tylenol, Advil, cold medication, and allergy relief.
First Aid Supplies: Bandages, Sutures, disinfectants, and gauze.
Barter Skills
Automotive Repair Skills
Cooking Skills
Sewing and Tailoring
“Handyman” and Maintenance Skills
Plumbing, Construction, and Building Skills
Medical and First Aid Skills
Teaching and Education Skills
Crafting Skills
Foraging Skills
Farming and Livestock Skills
Pest animal and Wildlife Management Skills
Electronic Device Repair Skills
Home Cleaning Skills
Child Rearing and Supervision Skills
Landscaping Skills
Gunsmithing Skills
Metalworking Skills
Featured Barter Items: Ammunition and Firearms Parts
Ammunition is a vital resource that is often overlooked when it comes to bartering. Firearms give us the ability to defend our homes and loved ones, as well as allow us to put food on the table if we live in a rural area and have hunting skills. Unfortunately, they are pretty ineffective without ammunition or if common wear and tear parts deteriorate due to lack of maintenance or heavy use.
Keeping a good stock of commonly used ammunition can not only ensure you will not run out, it can also provide you a very in demand commodity that less prepared individuals will be seeking to provide them with a sense of security and a means of feeding themselves and their loved ones. Companies like Black Hills Ammunition can keep you well-stocked on high-quality handgun ammo and top of the line self defense and hunting rifle rounds.
When it comes to Firearms, parts will wear out through time and use. This is especially prevalent with one of the most commonly owned platforms, the AR. one of the primary advantages of the AR platform is the ability to easily maintain, repair, and replace nearly every part with just a few simple tools.
It is expected that parts like buffers, springs, firing pins, bolt carrier groups, charging handles, optics, and even barrels will need to be replaced with extended use. Having a good stock of high quality parts like the ones found at Bravo Company Manufacturing will keep your AR platform operating at peak performance for years, and provide you with ultra high value bartering items during an extended supply chain crisis.
American society isn’t going to “collapse” in the sense of bad zombie movies. But it is going to decline in world power and influence if it keeps on spending money that it doesn’t have on wars that it can’t win. Right now the United States puts a ridiculous amount of its discretionary spending into the military, while allowing its infrastructure and education systems to continue to decline.
Prosperity comes from the middle class buying things. They can only buy things if they have jobs. They can only have jobs if American corporations use their profits to create jobs. But if they are allowed to continue sending jobs overseas, then there won’t be enough employed people to do the buying that sustains the economy. So one cause of American decline will be the continued exporting of jobs, especially blue-collar manufacturing jobs. Once Detroit was a capital of industry and now it’s a ghost town.
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The seizure of the legislatures by the neo-liberals, and the resulting efforts to “run universities like a business” are crushing the life out of higher education. Only departments that “make money” will be funded, meaning those that do basic research — the source of future jobs — are not. We’ll have way too many business administration majors, bean-counters who make nothing, and nowhere near enough teachers and engineers and scientists.
The clamps on childhood education are even worse. America soared when it dumped money into education after Sputnik. Then came Reaganomics, deregulation of the markets, and persistent efforts to close down the Department of Education by the Right, and now we have schools advertising junk food to children on their cafeteria trays in order to make up the shortfall. They’re overwhelmed with inspections and league tables and No Child Left Behind, but they’re chronically underfunded.
Undereducated people don’t get good jobs, and they require more in social services than they pay in taxes. Well-educated people ensure that their children are well-educated also, and they use fewer social services. Education is really cheap compared to a cruise missile, and it’s an investment that saves money in the long run. The cruise missile just blows up and has to be replaced by another one.
It is also imperative that we get big money out of politics. Citizens United was a disaster. Lobbyists write the laws in such a way that they ensure the people they represent don’t pay their fair share. The wealthy squirrel it away offshore. Google pretends to be an Irish company even though we all know it’s located in California.
In short, I think the long decline of the United States will be caused by:
Ruinously expensive foreign wars.
Failure to invest in the people and institutions of America, especially education.
Companies that are allowed to hide their profits overseas and export jobs overseas, evading both their civic duty to employ people and to pay their taxes.
A corrupt electoral process that ensures that our representatives are more beholden to their donors than to the electorate, of which the Citizens United ruling is by far the most egregious example.
If a major U.S. bank were to collapse tomorrow, the economic and societal impact would be swift and dramatic. Understanding what to expect and how to prepare can help you stay ahead of the chaos.
Immediate Fallout: The First Few Hours
When a bank collapses, the news often breaks outside regular business hours. Regulators tend to close banks late Friday to avoid a weekend panic. But in the age of smartphones and social media, word spreads fast. As soon as rumors hit the internet, customers may rush to withdraw their funds. These are not just traditional bank runs with long lines at branches. Today’s digital bank runs happen instantly through apps. In the 2023 failure of Silicon Valley Bank, $42 billion was withdrawn in a single day.
Within hours, online banking systems may crash or be frozen. ATMs could be emptied. People will still show up in person, lining up outside branches. Think back to the 2008 IndyMac collapse when police had to control crowds outside the bank.
Bank officials and regulators will issue public reassurances, but that will not stop the rush. Even people with accounts at different banks may panic and start pulling cash, triggering a chain reaction.
First Few Days: Government Moves to Contain Panic
Once the collapse is official, the FDIC steps in. Its job is to make sure insured depositors get their money, typically up to $250,000 per account. In most cases, that happens within a few business days. Regulators may transfer accounts to a new bank or issue checks.
But if you had more than the insured limit, the rest of your funds will be frozen. You will receive a certificate for the uninsured portion and might recover some of it later through asset liquidation. This process can take months or even years.
To calm the public, federal agencies might expand deposit guarantees or raise insurance limits temporarily. The Federal Reserve will likely provide emergency liquidity to banks, trying to keep ATMs stocked and credit cards working. Despite these efforts, expect service outages, delayed transactions, and restricted access to accounts.
Other banks might react by tightening credit. Your available credit lines could shrink, and new loans may be harder to get. The stock market may dive, affecting retirement accounts. In the background, politicians and financial leaders will scramble to contain the crisis.
Week Two and Beyond: Ripple Effects
If the failure is contained, confidence might return within a few weeks. But if it triggers other failures, the situation can spiral. Customers might rush to pull money from multiple banks, even healthy ones. In the 2008 crisis, a single failure quickly led to others.
Businesses could struggle to pay employees if their accounts are frozen. Individuals may face issues paying bills or accessing their savings. Some banks might restrict daily withdrawals or limit online transfers. Economic slowdown is likely if lending dries up.
Credit unions, backed by the NCUA, might see an influx of new customers. Gold and silver dealers could sell out quickly. Those already prepared with diversified assets and cash on hand will be far more resilient.
This is where a carefully managed supply stash becomes priceless.
What We Learned from 2008
The 2008 financial meltdown offers valuable lessons. Back then, regulators bailed out banks and reassured the public by temporarily raising deposit insurance limits. Swift intervention was key.
But 2023 showed how much faster things can move now. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank happened in just two days, accelerated by online rumors. Washington Mutual’s failure in 2008 took eight months. Speed is the new danger. Social media and digital banking mean trouble spreads faster than regulators can react.
Another change since 2008 is the concept of “bail-ins.” Instead of using taxpayer money to bail out banks, regulators might force large depositors and investors to absorb losses. This means if you have more than $250,000 in one bank, you might see some of your funds converted into bank stock or frozen entirely.
But one thing remains constant: deposits under the insured limit have always been protected. The surrounding economy, however, may not be so lucky. Jobs, credit, and prices can all be affected.
How to Protect Your Savings Now
Spread Funds Across Institutions Do not keep more than $250,000 in any one bank. Diversify across multiple banks or account types to ensure all your money is covered. Credit unions offer similar protection.
Mix Large and Small Institutions Keep money in a mix of large and local banks. Big banks may get bailed out due to their size. Smaller banks may be more conservative. Use both for coverage and flexibility.
Keep Cash at Home Store enough cash to cover several weeks of expenses. Use small bills. Store it safely and discreetly. This protects you if ATMs are down or banks freeze accounts.
Own Precious Metals Gold and silver do not rely on any banking system. They hold value even in a crisis. Silver coins are especially practical for barter. Store them securely.
Invest in Tangible Assets Hard assets like land, tools, and durable goods can be used or traded. Avoid tying all your wealth to digital accounts. If the grid goes down, paper statements and physical items still matter.
Monitor Your Bank’s Health Watch for red flags like stock price drops or news of losses. These may signal trouble. Act early if you see warning signs.
Cash Cash still works when the digital system fails. Keep small bills for easy transactions. Do not depend solely on cards.
Peer-to-Peer Apps Apps like PayPal or Cash App may still function if the internet is up. Keep small balances in multiple platforms. Set up accounts in advance.
Precious Metals Use silver or gold for trade, especially within prepper communities. Learn their value now so you can barter confidently.
Barter Networks Form relationships in your community. Trade goods or services directly. Local trust becomes currency when banks are down. For practical barter items, books such as Lost Ways highlight traditional goods that carried communities through hardship.
Gift Cards Prepaid cards to major retailers can act as temporary currency. Use cautiously. They are not immune to failure but can bridge gaps.
Build a Barter-Ready Stockpile
Focus on items that are always in demand:
Food and water: canned goods, rice, coffee, and water filters
Medical supplies: OTC meds, bandages, antiseptics, and knowledge
Ammunition: especially common calibers, trade carefully
Fuel and light: propane, gas, batteries, candles, and solar lights
Hygiene items: toilet paper, soap, feminine products, and cleaning supplies
Tools and skills: hand tools, duct tape, fishing gear, and practical skills
Comfort goods: alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and books can ease morale and become trade items
Only trade what you can spare. Never give away your last essentials. Build trust in your local barter network now to avoid desperation later.
If a major bank collapsed tomorrow, the fallout would be fast and severe. But with preparation, you do not have to be caught off guard. Diversify your savings, store cash and trade goods, and develop alternate payment options. Learn from the past. Build your stockpile. Join or form a barter network.
This article is written from the perspective of an acquaintance.
I’m a jeweller and gold dealer based in France. When Yugoslavia was imploding some years ago, a man brought to my shop a bag of gold coins to sell. He told me he had left Yugoslavia with wife and children and abandoned his house, his property investments and shops. All he had left was his family, a big stack of worthless banknotes and the gold coins, which he sold for a good price. I hope he managed to build back his wealth, it’s generally easier the second time around.
Gold is a store of value, it has always had value, and it always will. On average, it’s worth the same today, in purchasing power, as it was worth 100 years ago or 2000 years ago. People here talk about “apocalyptic events”. Ok, let’s talk about that. What do you mean? Alien invasion? World collapse? Just how is the world going to collapse so that money has zero value? War? Even in a war, gold has value, as people will trade just about anything to get out. Don’t look to Hollywood or books as to what you think of as a likely apocalyptic event. We live in the real world, not a fantasy world, and I suggest you consider what could REALLY happen in our REAL world.
Obviously, even if paper money loses most of its value, it will still have some. By having some gold, you can change it for much more paper money than you would have had if you had kept your wealth in cash. The law of supply and demand will always prevail and there will always be traders prepared, for example, to sell you gold at one million dollars per ounce and buy it back at $980,000 per ounce. This gives a value in dollars for gold and gives the paper dollars a value, as everyone knows they can get almost a millionth of an ounce of gold for every paper dollar. If the government prints more paper, the price of gold and all other goods will simply go up. A hundred years ago, a dollar would get you roughly a twentieth of an ounce of gold, today you will only get one 1757/th of an ounce. The dollar has been losing value in relation to gold since 1933 and will continue to do so, unless the US government starts buying gold in every time new dollars are printed (as it should do). The US dollar was once worth five times as much as the Swiss franc, today it’s worth less than one Swiss franc….. You need to understand that gold isn’t going up in price, it’s your money that’s going down in value (unless you live in Switzerland).
In Africa and South America, paper money regularly loses value and people have taken to keeping their spare wealth in gold and silver coins and jewellery. No government can make your gold or silver worthless; it can always be sold somewhere for its full value.
And I’m getting pretty sick of people saying you can trade with fresh water, tobacco, toilet paper or food. There has never been a long-term situation where gold or silver couldn’t be traded for essential goods. You can’t do much trade with bottles of water. And in each case, precious metals could also be traded for banknotes, no matter how low in value they were, so that small transactions could be done with notes. Sure, you can keep some water and food, but don’t dream you will be doing any trade with them.
In WWII in the Netherlands, when my mother and uncle were starving in the city, my grandmother set off into the countryside to try and get some food for her family. She came upon a farm and asked to trade for some food. The farmer told my grandmother she was unlikely to have anything that would interest him. He showed her a room full of antique silverware and candlesticks, clocks and linen he had taken in exchange for food from starving citizens. He said he would not take any banknotes, only gold, as the war was ending, but my grandmother had no gold. She then mentioned that she had some salt. This interested the farmer a lot, and she traded some salt for food and pushed it back to town in a baby stroller (which she had borrowed against a promise of a share of her purchases.) So, you can see that even in a war, gold has some value, as, apparently, does salt and strollers. Tobacco and coffee also had some value at the time, but again, gold was far more portable and non-perishable. If your family is starving to death, you will pay whatever it takes to buy food. It’s a seller’s market and if he wants gold, you’ll trade it to survive, whatever the price.
It’s thus worth keeping at least a part of your wealth in gold, to protect against what might go wrong. You won’t get rich with it, but it won’t lose its value and if you ever have to flee with your family, it can be damned useful and might even save your life.
The fall of Shanghai, 1948, people struggling to change their gold.
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EXPOSED: The US is Facing The BIGGEST Threat Of The Century… So pay chose attention because this VIDEO will change your life forever for the good!
Other than the obvious consequences, what might we expect from a partial economic collapse? A total collapse of the economy would throw the nation into utter chaos. But what if we endure an economic depression, or a severe and long-lasting downturn? I think that some of the effects are not so obvious.
1. The college and university system will collapse
As I explained in this previous post, the system of higher education is a house of cards. The cost of getting a college degree has risen sharply and steadily, while real income has remained relatively flat. The price rise is due to the easy availability of grants and loans for education. But with so many persons getting a college degree, its value in the marketplace has plummeted. Many college grads are out of work, or they are working in a job that does not require a degree. Eventually, this practice of paying more and more, for something that is worth less and less, will collapse the system. Colleges and universities will not have enough paying students, and professors will not agree to a drastic pay cut. Overhead expenses are far too high.
All that is needed is an economic collapse, or partial collapse, to topple this house of cards. Many universities and colleges will be forced by economics to shut down.
The current U.S. agricultural system is based on the expectation of high yields. But high yields are obtained by high inputs — all the things that go into growing the crop, including lots of fertilizer, perhaps irrigation, herbicides, pesticides, labor, machinery. Then those high yields are sold and the money is then used to fund the inputs for the next crop cycle.
An economic collapse will mean that farmers will not be able to afford all the inputs needed for high yields. And when yields fall, the amount of money from that crop will be less. Then the next crop cycle will have even less money for inputs, resulting in even lower yields. And the process will continue — lower yields, less money, lower inputs — until many farmers are out of business and a food crisis results.
3. Violent crime will increase
When people lack money and food, they become desperate. And desperate people do desperate things. Theft and robbery will skyrocket, and people will be afraid in their homes, and afraid to go out in the community. Even a quick trip to the market will become risky. Sales of most goods will plummet, causing the economic crisis to worsen. Protests will turn violent. Home invasion robberies will become much more common. Many people will be killed or injured as a result of this increase in violent crimes.
4. Law enforcement will be overwhelmed
The law enforcement system in the U.S. is commercial. Officers are paid. We don’t keep a large excess of officers on the payroll, just in case crime sharply increases. So it is relatively easy for the system to be overwhelmed. And that means a call to 911 might not bring the police to your door in time, if at all. Those who have firearms for home defense will be much better off than those who rely solely on the police. But many households have no firearms. And that means that robberies will increase, and so will the economic damage and the number of injuries and deaths.
5. The healthcare system will be overwhelmed
The healthcare system is also commercial, and lacks a safety margin in the form of excess doctors and nurses. Hospitals operate at close to capacity. A sudden increase in persons who are sick or injured will overwhelm the system.
The aforementioned increase in violent crime will undoubtedly increase injuries. But it is less obvious that a disruption to the food production and distribution system will increase illnesses. Plenty of good healthy food is the first line of defense against illness. Malnourished persons are much more likely to get sick. So an extended disruption to the food supply will cause an increase in illnesses.
6. Travel anywhere will become dangerous
As a result of all the above described problems, travel will be dangerous. Want to make a quick trip to the supermarket? You risk having your house robbed, if it is left unoccupied. And you risk being attacked on your way back from the market. Robbers might wait outside the market and follow anyone who looks like they purchased a lot of food.
There will be protests in many places, and violence will often break out. People who are hungry and afraid do not make the best decisions. Then there is the cultural aspect of the situation. We live in a culture that tells us to expect the government to take care of us, and to protest whenever anything doesn’t go our way. Ironically, self-sufficiency is abhorrent to our narcissistic culture.
I expect that the roadways will be dangerous, as violent criminals will see travelers as easier targets than homes.
7. The death rate will jump higher
People will be malnourished because of the disruption in the food supply, so they will get sick more easily. Violent crimes and violent protests will result in many more injuries than usual. And yet healthcare will be much more difficult to access. There will be a shortage of hospital beds. It will be difficult to get a doctor’s appointment. There may be a shortage of prescription and OTC medications.
All of these factors will make life a riskier endeavor.
Now if you are a seasoned prepper, who has long considered the dangers inherent in an economic collapse, you may have anticipated some of the above consequences. But I hope I’ve added to your understanding of the possible problems that we may soon face.
A stock market fall can occur as a result of a large disastrous event, an economic crisis, or the bursting of a long-term speculative bubble. Reactionary public fear in response to a stock market fall can also be a key cause, prompting panic selling that further depresses prices.
A stock market crash is a sudden or severe drop in overall share prices, usually within a day.
Stock market crashes can be due to economic or natural disasters, speculation, or investor panic.
Investors can prepare for stock market crashes by diversifying portfolios and shifting to CDs or bonds.
The stock market is constantly moving, with prices of individual equities rising and falling throughout the trading day. Whenever the majority of them or a representative group of them, called a stock market index takes an especially large dive, a panicked cry often arises: “The stock market has crashed!”
Stock market crashes are certainly scary. Equities across the board decline in value. Investors lose enormous sums of money on paper, anyway. But what causes them? And what are the aftereffects?
Here is a closer look at what a stock market crash is and what you need to know before one impacts your portfolio.
What causes a stock market crash?
Historically, stock market crashes often occur after a long period of economic and market growth. Confidence in the economy, steady stock gains, and low unemployment are all drivers of bull markets, as these sustained rallies are known. As more and more stocks are purchased, prices go up both for individual equities and the stock indexes themselves.
But in the world of securities, prices can’t keep rising indefinitely, and bull markets can only last for so long. Sometimes it’s a general shift in sentiment, as in 1929, but usually, some precipitating event occurs.
Numerous things can cause a stock market to crash, including:
Panic: This is one of the most common contributing factors to a crash. Stockholders who fear the value of their investments are in danger of dropping will sell their shares to protect their money. As prices begin to drop, the fear spreads, more sales ensue, and this can lead to a crash. Anything from a major player in the market having financial trouble to fears about the impact specific legislation may have can cause scores of investors to panic and sell off stock.
Natural or man-made disasters: These can include all sorts of catastrophes, from floods to wars to pandemics. Case in point: the coronavirus-induced crash of March 2020. As the realization of the spread of COVID-19 began to take hold, the economic outlook for the US and countries worldwide began to look grim. While countries announced travel limitations, mandatory business shutdowns, and quarantines, consumers stocked up on essential supplies causing shortages, companies began protecting profit margins through layoffs and furloughs, and investors started selling off stocks.
Excessive leverage: When things are going well, leverage (a.k.a. “borrowed money”) can seem like an excellent tool. For example, if I buy 1,00,000 worth of stock and it rises by 20%, I made 20,000. If I borrow an additional 1,00,000 and bought 2,00,000 worth of the same stock, I’d make 40,000 doubling my profits.
On the other hand, when things move against you, leverage can be downright dangerous. Let’s say that my same 1,00,000 stock investment dropped by 50%. It would sting, but I’d still have 50,000. If I had borrowed an additional 1,00,000, a 50% drop would wipe me out completely.
Excessive leverage can create a downward spiral in stocks when things turn sour. As prices drop, firms and investors with lots of leverage are forced to sell, which in turn drives prices down even further. The most notable occasion was the Crash of 1929, in which excessive purchasing of stocks on margin played a major role.
Interest rates and inflation: Generally speaking, rising interest rates are a negative catalyst for stocks and the economy in general.
This is especially true for income-focused stocks, such as real estate investment trusts (REITs). Investors buy these stocks specifically for their dividend yields, and rising market interest rates put downward pressure on these stocks. As a simplified illustration, if a 10-year Treasury note yields 3% and a certain REIT yields 5%, it may seem worth the extra risk to income-seeking investors to choose the REIT.
On the other hand, if the 10-year Treasury’s yield spikes to 4%, the REIT’s dividend will (roughly) need to rise proportionally to attract investors. And lower stock prices translate to higher dividend yields, on a percentage basis.
From an economic standpoint, higher interest rates mean higher borrowing costs, which tends to slow down purchasing activity, which can in turn cause stocks to dive. So, if the 30-year mortgage rate were to spike to, say, 6%, it could dramatically slow down the housing market and cause homebuilder stocks to take a hit.
Political risks: While nobody has a crystal ball that can predict the future, it’s a safe bet that the stock market wouldn’t like it much if the U.S. went to war with, say, North Korea.
Markets like stability and wars, and political risk represent the exact opposite. For instance, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by more than 7% during the first trading session following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, as the uncertainty surrounding the attacks and the next moves spooked investors.
Tax changes: The recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act should certainly have the effect of higher corporate earnings and is likely to be a generally positive catalyst for the market.
On the other hand, tax increases can have the opposite effect. One potential way to fix the Social Security funding problem would be to raise payroll taxes on employees and employers. There are several ways this could happen, but this would mean lower paychecks for workers and higher expenses for employers, and could certainly be a negative catalyst.
The same could be said if short-term capital gains taxes or dividends lose their favorable treatment, if the corporate income tax is raised in the future, or if any other significant tax hikes occur. This isn’t likely to happen while the Republican Party is in power, but it’s certainly possible in the future.
Economic crises: A problem in industry or one section of the economy often has a ripple effect. One example is the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-2008. Earlier in the decade, deregulation in the banking industry had led to an increase in mortgages to high-risk borrowers. When these borrowers began defaulting on payments, home prices dropped, and the housing market collapsed. Many of the now-worthless mortgages had been packaged and sold off to institutional investors who in turn lost billions. Big firms began to fold, and from Sept. 19 to Oct. 10, the Dow Jones Industrial Index declined 3,600 points.
Speculation: When you have people and companies investing in a sector in the hopes that an asset or security will grow or based on future performance expectations, you have speculation that often creates a bubble. If the performance disappoints, and the hype doesn’t live up to reality, the bubble bursts, and a mass sell-off occurs.
What happens when a stock market crashes?
There are many definitions of what a stock market crash is. Some categorize a crash strictly as a stock market or a stock market index (a representative sampling of stocks) losing more than 10% of its value in a single day. Others provide a more general view, simply stating that a crash is a significant or dramatic loss in the stock market’s value, and the prices of shares overall, usually within a short period.
Any way you look at it, a stock market crash happens when confidence and value placed in publicly traded assets go down, causing investors to sell their positions, and move away from active investing, and toward keeping their money in cash, or the equivalent.
The impact of a crash can vary as well. Sometimes, it’s limited. For example, on Oct. 19, 1987, after five years in a strong bull market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and S&P 500 both dropped more than 20%, following markets throughout Asia and across Europe. The crash was short and markets quickly recovered. Within a few days, the DJIA regained more than 43% of the points it lost and within nearly two years the market had recovered almost 100%.
At other times, the effects are widespread and longer-lasting. The most notorious example is the Crash of 1929. Stock prices dropped first on Oct. 24th, briefly rallied, and then went into free fall on Oct. 28-29. Ultimately, the market lost 85% of its value. Though not the sole cause, this crash was one of the contributing factors to the Great Depression, the worst economic period in American history, lasting nearly 10 years.
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The Promise (1947-1973): Historically, there existed a fundamental agreement between labor and capital, often referred to as the social contract, which dictated that for every 1% increase in the economic value generated by a worker (their productivity), their compensation would also rise by a corresponding 1%. This reciprocal relationship was widely perceived as equitable, ensuring that the benefits of increased efficiency and output were shared fairly between those who contributed their labor and those who provided the means of production. This arrangement fostered a sense of shared prosperity, where workers could reasonably expect their efforts to translate directly into an improved standard of living.
The Heist (1973-Today): This pivotal agreement, which once promised a fair exchange between labor and reward, was systematically dismantled. The consequences have been stark and undeniable. Since 1973, the productivity of the American worker has soared, demonstrating an increase of over 65%. This remarkable surge in output, a testament to dedication and innovation, has not been met with a commensurate rise in compensation. In sharp contrast, the inflation-adjusted pay for these same workers has stagnated, growing by less than 10% over the same period. This widening chasm between productivity and pay reveals a fundamental shift in the economic landscape, where the gains of increased efficiency are no longer equitably shared, leading to a significant erosion of the American worker’s economic standing.
The Takedown: They convinced you to work harder, smarter, faster. You did. You delivered 65% more value. And they paid you almost nothing for it. All that extra wealth you created—the trillions of dollars—was stolen directly from your paycheck.
This wasn’t a natural progression of the economy; it was a deliberate strategy, a silent war declared on the American worker. For decades, a systematic dismantling of labor protections, a weakening of unions, and a fervent push for “efficiency” paved the way for this grand heist. Companies reaped record profits, executives received astronomical bonuses, and shareholders saw their portfolios swell, all while the average worker’s wages stagnated or barely kept pace with inflation.
The promise was always the same: if you just pushed a little harder, if you adopted the latest productivity tools, if you embraced the “gig economy,” you would share in the prosperity. But that promise was a mirage. The “trickle-down” never reached the bottom. Instead, the wealth flowed upwards, concentrating in the hands of a select few, leaving the vast majority struggling to keep up with rising living costs, dwindling benefits, and an ever-increasing sense of precarity. The American Dream, once built on the bedrock of fair labor and a path to upward mobility, began to erode, replaced by a new reality where hard work no longer guaranteed a fair share of the bounty. This was the first offensive, and the American worker, unknowingly, bore the brunt of the assault.
CRIME #2: THE CEO PAY EXPLOSION
The Old Rule (1965): The average CEO of a major company made 20 times what their typical worker made. This was seen as a responsible balance.
The New Rule (Today): The chasm between the compensation of top executives and their average employees has widened to an astonishing degree, reaching a point where the typical CEO now earns a staggering 350 times what their typical worker brings home. This isn’t a static figure; in certain years, this disparity has even surged past the 400-to-1 mark, highlighting a troubling trend in corporate compensation structures. This immense gap isn’t just a matter of numbers; it reflects a fundamental shift in how value is perceived and distributed within companies, raising questions about fairness, economic equality, and the very definition of a “living wage” for the vast majority of the workforce. The increasing concentration of wealth at the very top, while wages for the rank and file stagnate or grow minimally, has profound implications for social mobility, consumer spending, and the overall health of the economy.
The Takedown: This isn’t a reflection of 20-fold genius. It’s the insidious outcome of a system deliberately designed to favor the powerful. The boardroom, once a place of strategic leadership, devolved into an exclusive, self-serving club. Within its insulated walls, executives awarded themselves exorbitant paychecks, diverting vast sums of money that rightfully belonged to the very individuals who powered their success: the American worker. This capital, generated by their labor and dedication, should have translated into substantial raises, comprehensive benefits, and secure pensions. Instead, it became a private fund for the elite, enriching a select few at the expense of the many, systematically undermining the economic well-being and future security of the workforce. This systematic siphoning of wealth is not an accident; it is the calculated result of a deeply flawed and deliberately rigged system that prioritizes corporate greed over the prosperity of its people.
CRIME #3: THE DISAPPEARING PENSION
The Old Rule (1980): At the peak of American industrial strength, a remarkable figure – over 60% of the nation’s workforce – enjoyed the security of a defined-benefit pension. This wasn’t merely a savings plan; it was a promise, a guarantee of a stable and predictable income throughout their retirement years. This robust system provided a bedrock of financial certainty for millions of families, allowing them to plan for the future with confidence, knowing that their golden years would be cushioned by a reliable stream of income, independent of market fluctuations or individual investment decisions. It represented a fundamental component of the social contract between employers and employees, a testament to an era where corporate responsibility extended beyond immediate profits to encompass the long-term well-being of its workforce. This widespread access to defined-benefit pensions played a crucial role in fostering economic stability, empowering workers, and shaping the American middle class.
The New Rule (Today): This alarming statistic marks a dramatic decline in an area once considered a cornerstone of American economic strength and worker protection. The percentage of the workforce represented by unions has plummeted to less than 15%, a stark contrast to historical highs. This collapse signifies a significant shift in the power dynamics between labor and management, leading to widespread implications for wages, benefits, working conditions, and the overall economic security of American workers. The erosion of union membership is not merely a number; it represents a fundamental change in the landscape of the American labor movement, weakening its ability to advocate for fair treatment and a living wage for a vast segment of the population.
The Takedown: The American dream, once built on the bedrock of secure employment and a comfortable retirement, has been systematically dismantled. They, the architects of this economic shift, didn’t just tinker with the system; they fundamentally overhauled it, exchanging the promise of a secure retirement for the perilous gamble of a 401(k). This move, far from an improvement, effectively hitched the financial security of millions of workers to the volatile whims of Wall Street – the very same institution whose reckless behavior triggered the devastating market crash of 2008.
This wasn’t an accidental outcome but a deliberate transfer of risk. Corporations, once responsible for managing pension funds and ensuring their employees’ golden years, deftly sidestepped that obligation. They shed the burden from their own balance sheets, effectively pushing the financial precarity from their boardrooms directly onto the kitchen tables of working-class families. The individual, once shielded by collective responsibility, was now singularly exposed to the market’s unpredictable surges and devastating downturns, forced to become an amateur investment manager in a complex and often unforgiving financial landscape. This shift represents a profound betrayal of the social contract, leaving the American worker more vulnerable than ever before.
CRIME #4: THE UNION BUST
The Peak (1954): In the mid-20th century, a significant portion of the American private-sector workforce—approximately 35%—was represented by labor unions. This robust union membership served as a crucial counter-balance to the inherent power of corporations. Unions played a vital role in advocating for workers’ rights, negotiating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and reasonable benefits, thereby contributing to a more equitable distribution of wealth and influence in the economy. This period is often seen as a golden age for the American worker, where collective bargaining provided a powerful voice that ensured employees were not merely cogs in the industrial machine but valued contributors with a share in the nation’s prosperity. The presence of strong unions compelled businesses to consider the welfare of their employees, fostering an environment where a significant portion of the workforce enjoyed a degree of economic security and upward mobility that is less prevalent in later decades. This era truly represented a time when the power dynamics between labor and capital were more evenly matched, due in no small part to the widespread embrace of unionization.
The Collapse (Today): That number, which once represented a significant portion of the workforce, has been systematically crushed, plummeting to a mere 6%. This drastic decline reflects a concerted and sustained effort to dismantle the power and influence of the American worker, stripping away their collective bargaining rights and eroding their economic security. The consequences of this systematic crushing are far-reaching, impacting not only individual livelihoods but also the broader economic landscape and the very fabric of American society.
The Takedown: The most crucial metric on this scoreboard is undeniably the strength and prevalence of labor unions. These organizations stood as the singular, well-structured, and adequately financed entities whose fundamental purpose was to champion the cause of the average worker, ensuring they received a fair share of the profits generated by their labor. The deliberate and systematic dismantling of these unions was not merely an incidental outcome, but rather a calculated and indispensable prerequisite for the entire audacious economic heist that followed. Without the formidable opposition posed by organized labor, the path was cleared for a redistribution of wealth that overwhelmingly favored corporate interests and the ownership class, at the direct expense of the working population. Their destruction effectively neutralized the primary force dedicated to economic justice and equity for the American worker, setting the stage for an era of unprecedented wage stagnation, benefit erosion, and increasing income inequality.
These numbers are not abstract. They are the reason you feel it every day:
The Erosion of the American Dream: A Generational Crisis
The American Dream, once a beacon of opportunity where a single income could comfortably support a family, has become an increasingly elusive ideal for many. The stark realities of modern economic life paint a sobering picture, revealing a systemic shift that has fundamentally altered the financial landscape for the average worker.
The Two-Income Trap: Fifty years ago, the notion of a single income sustaining a household, including homeownership, education, and a comfortable retirement, was not just a pipe dream but a common reality. Today, the necessity of two incomes to achieve a comparable standard of living highlights a dramatic and alarming decline in purchasing power. This isn’t merely an anecdotal observation; it’s a testament to the stagnation of wages relative to the skyrocketing costs of essential goods and services, from housing and healthcare to education and everyday necessities. The economic pressure on families is immense, often leading to increased stress and a diminished quality of life, as both parents are compelled to work simply to keep pace.
The Disappearance of Secure Retirement: For previous generations, the promise of a dignified retirement often came in the form of a pension – a guaranteed income stream that provided security and peace of mind in one’s golden years. Today, pensions are largely a relic of the past, replaced by the precariousness of the 401(k). This shift has transferred the burden and risk of retirement planning squarely onto the shoulders of individual workers. The anxiety associated with a 401(k) statement is palpable, as market fluctuations, insufficient contributions, and a lack of financial literacy can easily jeopardize one’s future. The dream of a comfortable retirement has been replaced by a pervasive fear of outliving one’s savings, forcing many to work longer or postpone retirement indefinitely.
The Widening Chasm of Inequality: The chasm between the compensation of corporate executives and the average worker has grown to an unprecedented and morally questionable scale. The fact that a CEO’s annual bonus can eclipse the entire payroll of a small town underscores a profound imbalance in our economic system. This disparity is not merely a matter of unfairness; it reflects a fundamental breakdown in the distribution of wealth and value. While executive compensation continues to soar, often regardless of company performance or worker productivity, the wages of the frontline employees who generate that wealth remain stagnant. This ever-widening gap fuels resentment, erodes trust in corporate leadership, and contributes to a sense of economic injustice that undermines the very fabric of society. It raises critical questions about corporate accountability, ethical compensation practices, and the long-term sustainability of an economic model that disproportionately rewards the few at the expense of the many.
This was not an accident. It was a transfer. The money that should have been in your pocket was moved. The security that should have been yours was dismantled.
The Powell Memo declared the war. The Volcker Shock was the first battle. And these numbers—your stagnant paycheck, their exploding bonuses, your vanished pension—are the territory they conquered.
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Substitution is possible when silver is used only for a general property (conductivity, reflectivity, corrosion resistance), so industry will replace it where alternatives match performance.
Silver remains hard to eliminate where its unique combination of properties or small quantity per part make substitution impractical or uneconomic.
Even if prices spike, market responses (recycling, increased mining and byproduct recovery) and available reserves make total abandonment unlikely.
By: Tom Chandler- In my oipnion, silver used in industrial applications in electric contacts, and other industrial applications will not be abandoned..
Fifty (50) years ago I worked at a factory in Connectocut where we made hundreds of silver bearing alloys, some for industry, some for the arts, and some for culinary (Flatware). When the price for silver jumped dramatically in 1980 after the Hunt brothers attempted to corner the silver market and the price jumped over 700% , I witnessed the outcome.
Silver tableware market was devastated, Where it was once common to give silver flatware for wedding gifts , the outcome was fast with flatware cost jumping from hundreds per set to thousands.
On the other hand, silver and silver alloy used in electrical contacts for switchgears and relays was nescessary in most applications and the overall cost increase to the component assembly was not significant as the unit may only use ounces of silver
Silver was a major component in a silver- cadmium -indium alloy used as nuclear control rods. This would not be easily replaced or substituted
Silver for jewelry saw a temporary dive.
Silver alloys for brazing just became for costly, but they were still necessary as the silver content affected the brazing temperature profile of the processes that coud not be replaced.
An offshoot of the high silver pricce resulted a major recycling binge.
We saw old silver coins ( dollars) from US being remelted,
People were selling thier old flatware gifts to scrap dealers for cash. that were remelted into sivler items for indistrial applications
People wearing silver chains on their neck were being attacked on the streets on NYC where thr thieves could sell the stolen silver to the market on 42nd street.
Preppgroup 