Original 1912 Edition. (English Translation first published 1934.) Economist and philosopher, Ludwig von Mises present his "Theory of Money and Credit" by first looking at the nature and value of money, why there is a demand for money, and how it is used as currency. He goes on to explain the purchasing power of money and how it determines economic and monetary policy, often in a way that results in financial melt-downs. Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises (September 29, 1881 October 10, 1973) was an Austrian-American economist, historian, philosopher, author, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern free-market libertarian movement and the Austrian School. The Theory of Money and Credit is an economics book written by Ludwig von Mises, originally published in German as Theorie des Geldes und der Umlaufsmittel in 1912. Along with Carl Menger's Principles of Economics, and Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk's Capital and Interest, this work was a major contribution to economic theory. Its first English translation was published in 1934, and Part Four was added by Mises to the English language edition in 1953. In this work, Mises looks at the nature and value of money, and its effect on determining monetary policy. Included is his regression theorem, that tries to explain why money is demanded in its own right, as moneys at first glance do not serve a consumable need. Mises explained that moneys only can come about after there has been a demand for the money commodity in a barter economy. The German word Umlaufsmittel literally translates as "means of circulation" and was translated into the text of the English version as "fiduciary media". However, the publisher thought the unusual terminology would irritate readers and substituted "money and credit" in the title, thereby losing the specific distinction Mises had made in selecting his original term.
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Book Description
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Language Notes
Text: English, German (translation)
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
About the Author
Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) earned his doctorate in law and economics from the University of Vienna in 1906. In 1926, Mises founded the Austrian Institute for Business Cycle Research. From 1909 to 1934, he was an economist for the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. Before the Anschluss, in 1934 Mises left for Geneva, where he was a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies until 1940, when he emigrated to New York City. From 1948 to 1969, he was a visiting professor at New York University.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
168 of 178 people found the following review helpful
By John S. Ryan
Format:Paperback
The late great Murray Rothbard described Ludwig von Mises's _The Theory of Money and Credit_ as the best book on money ever written. And so it is.
It is probably best known as the volume which first set out the distinctive Austrian theory of the trade cycle. For that alone, it deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone who cares about such things (and more people should).
But there's much more to it than that. This volume sets out a complete and groundbreaking theory of money itself: what it is, where it comes from, what it means to speak of its "value," the differences between commodity money and fiat money, the demand for money and what it has to do with banking, and -- crucially -- the jiggery-pokery that becomes possible when the State starts messing around with unsound monetary policy.
This edition also includes a section on "Monetary Reconstruction" written in 1952 (and first included in the 1953 Yale University Press edition).
Plus there's a foreword by Murray Rothbard. And, finally, it's another beautifully crafted volume from the Liberty Fund, practically a steal at the price posted above. You'd have a hard time buying most such books _used_ at this price.
So what are you waiting for? Throw your Samuelson and Keynes in the trash and pick up a book of _real_ economics.
69 of 73 people found the following review helpful
By David Lewis
Format:Hardcover
Murray Newton Rothbard has been quoted as saying this book is THE best book ever written on Money & Credit. So having found Rothbard's writings to be outstanding in their own right, I moved on to this Mises classic!
The first thing to note is that this book was first published in 1912 and in German, and although the translation has been accomplished superbly, the style of writing has somewhat of an antequated feel to it; not quite the same free flowing prose you get with Rothbard. Once you get into the feel of it though, this in no way detracts from your understanding of the theory presented.
It has an excellent new Foreward by Rothbard himself, extensive footnoting and index and is hardbound beautifully by the Liberty Fund Press, with dust jacket. There is also a nice Appendix: On The Classification of Monetary Theories, that is very useful and informative.
The book itself is divided into four main Parts:
Part One: The Nature of Money.
Part Two: The Value of Money.
Part Three: Money and Banking.
Part Four: Monetary Reconstruction.(This part was added in 1952).
For me the book really took on a story of two halves. In the first half of the book, Parts 1 & 2, the bulk of the theory is really laid out. It can be slow going as it is extremely in depth but I highly recommend you stick with it as this pays off in the second half of the book!
In Part 3 Mises really starts putting flesh onto the theory when we get into Money & Banking proper with discussion of demand for money, credit, fiduciary paper, rate of interest etc. But towards the end in Chapters 19 & 20 things get MUCH more interesting as equilibrium rates and interest are discussed in detail and he finally talks about gold, the gold standard and banking freedom.
Part 4 is where my heart lies. Here we have the discussion of the principles of sound money versus contemporary currency systems. There's then an excellent discourse on the Return to Sound Money, ie the Classical Gold Standard.
The second half of this wonderful book certainly flowed better for me, but that may also be just because I am more of an investment manager/trader and less of an economist! You feel like you have had Mises teaching you in fine detail and that he has left no stone unturned in your understanding. Mises doesn't read as easily as the prose of Rothbard but that does not detract from the excellence of the material. Superb!
It really IS a truly outstanding work and if not the best book ever written on the subject, it surely has to be at the very least, one of the very best, and as such is certainly a "must-read"!!!
This wonderful, beautifully bound, classic is an absolute "steal" at $20. I still cannot believe it is sold for so little. My recommendation is to buy it while it is still available in this beautiful hardbound edition!
Enjoy!
The first thing to note is that this book was first published in 1912 and in German, and although the translation has been accomplished superbly, the style of writing has somewhat of an antequated feel to it; not quite the same free flowing prose you get with Rothbard. Once you get into the feel of it though, this in no way detracts from your understanding of the theory presented.
It has an excellent new Foreward by Rothbard himself, extensive footnoting and index and is hardbound beautifully by the Liberty Fund Press, with dust jacket. There is also a nice Appendix: On The Classification of Monetary Theories, that is very useful and informative.
The book itself is divided into four main Parts:
Part One: The Nature of Money.
Part Two: The Value of Money.
Part Three: Money and Banking.
Part Four: Monetary Reconstruction.(This part was added in 1952).
For me the book really took on a story of two halves. In the first half of the book, Parts 1 & 2, the bulk of the theory is really laid out. It can be slow going as it is extremely in depth but I highly recommend you stick with it as this pays off in the second half of the book!
In Part 3 Mises really starts putting flesh onto the theory when we get into Money & Banking proper with discussion of demand for money, credit, fiduciary paper, rate of interest etc. But towards the end in Chapters 19 & 20 things get MUCH more interesting as equilibrium rates and interest are discussed in detail and he finally talks about gold, the gold standard and banking freedom.
Part 4 is where my heart lies. Here we have the discussion of the principles of sound money versus contemporary currency systems. There's then an excellent discourse on the Return to Sound Money, ie the Classical Gold Standard.
The second half of this wonderful book certainly flowed better for me, but that may also be just because I am more of an investment manager/trader and less of an economist! You feel like you have had Mises teaching you in fine detail and that he has left no stone unturned in your understanding. Mises doesn't read as easily as the prose of Rothbard but that does not detract from the excellence of the material. Superb!
It really IS a truly outstanding work and if not the best book ever written on the subject, it surely has to be at the very least, one of the very best, and as such is certainly a "must-read"!!!
This wonderful, beautifully bound, classic is an absolute "steal" at $20. I still cannot believe it is sold for so little. My recommendation is to buy it while it is still available in this beautiful hardbound edition!
Enjoy!
36 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Get the edition published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute (mises.org). It is MUCH better. It contains the forwards and prefaces by the author, the translator, and Murray Rothbard. Additionally, the editing is much, much better. I had this version, but it was so frustrating that I ended up buying the better version in addition.
Amazon sells the STUDY GUIDE to accompany the Mises Institute version, but not the book itself.
Amazon sells the STUDY GUIDE to accompany the Mises Institute version, but not the book itself.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tough going.
I am just finishing this book now after a couple of weeks.
With a few bright accessible spots, most of the book is arcane and in my opinion somewhat dated. Read more
With a few bright accessible spots, most of the book is arcane and in my opinion somewhat dated. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Mark Dana Floden
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not for the feint of heart
I really tried to keep up with this book but it was just too difficult . I am a business major but i think you need to be an economics professor to appreciate, and understand... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paul Moore
3.0 out of 5 stars
Densely written treatise
This book, while interesting, is definitely a challenge to read. There is lots of detail around what constitutes money/credit. Not for the faint of heart. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Charles H. Rosa
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sadly, the complete oposite to what is being practiced today by the...
Everything one needs to know about the proper use of money in a healthy and honest economy. Definitely NOT what the corrupt and greedy "Money Changers" a.k. Read more
Published 2 months ago by S. Claudio Garcias
3.0 out of 5 stars
WORTH THE STRUGGLE TO READ
A VERY TOUGH READ. SOME SENTENCES SO LONG YOU CANT REMEMBER WHAT THE SUBJECT WAS, BUT A NEW SLANT ON LOTS OF SEEMENGLY SIMPLE SUBJECTS
Published 4 months ago by EVERETT WILLIAMS
4.0 out of 5 stars
A
gave it as a gift he liked it blah blah blah blah blahb labh albha blah blah blah blah blah
Published 4 months ago by brady
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have for a libertarian library
This is a necessity for any free market advocate or libertarian. Very good reading. I highly recommend it to anybody in the finance field as well.
Published 4 months ago by hillwood24
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Theory of Money and Credit
The Theory of Money and Credit.
This book is anti-communist propaganda. It isn't the scholarly study of economics that the title would suggest.
This book is anti-communist propaganda. It isn't the scholarly study of economics that the title would suggest.
Published 5 months ago by William W Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!
Came very quickly and in great condition. This is a great book by Ludwig von Mises and should be on the shelf of every aspiring economist.
Published 5 months ago by Meryl Nudel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic reading
This is reputed to be the definitive classic definition of money and banking. I found the sections on valuation of money and government policy to be very clear while the section on... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Gderf
