Confusión de confusiones

by José de la Vega

Un clásico de la Bolsa que fue escrito hace más de 300 años y que todavía es popular en todo el mundo. La obra incluye diálogos curiosos y divertidos en los que se describe el negocio de la bolsa, su origen, su etimología, su realidad, su juego y su enredo.

Genres: Finance, History, Economics, Nonfiction

135 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1688

Reviews

[Rick Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joseph Penso de la Vegas was a well known Jewish merchant, poet, writer near Antwerp. He writes about things happening inside Amsterdam Stock Market. He gives little snippets of stories happening in everyday life.

He says people are driven with greed, they make up stories, deceit, switch sides just to make profits. I am sure that some of them still happen today in Modern Stock Market. There are four types of people who buy stocks:

i) Wealthy
ii) Occasional Speculators
iii) Bankers
iv) Merchants

Anyway, I came across Shepard Jew and Ashkenazim Jew in this book. It is sad to hear that some of the Jews did not have place to stay in Europe. Some pretended to be new Christians in order to take refuge.



Deus Vult
--Gottfried--

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief and interesting dialogue-style read about the workings of the Dutch stock exchange in the 17th century. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting how the stock market is described back then, to how I think it works today. More than anything, I think the principles explicitly highlighted are extremely important for anyone who wants to invest:

1. Never give anyone the advice to buy or sell shares
2. Take every gain without showing remorse about missed profits
3. Profits on the exchange on the exchange are the treasures of goblins (This is elaborated on a little, but I take it to mean, exercise caution even when recognizing profits because they can quickly turn to losses)
4. Whoever wishes to win in this game must have patience and money

[Ramón Martínez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesante como documento histórico. pero muy, muy pesado.

Lo que más me ha gustado del libro, es comprobar que ya en aquella época tenían una visión muy actual de los mercados financieros, de la especulación y de los sesgos e irracionalidad de los inversores.

El problema es que está escrito de una forma que lo hace un martirio. No fui capaz de acabarlo.

[Hunter Radecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a 17th century discourse on the budding stock market… I kinda liked this?

Vega presents an honest, outside perspective of the beginnings of the market as we know it today. A screaming sphere void of ethics, gamification of gambling with incredible consequences, not so different from the market of today. Had his perspective glazed and pedestaled the market, I’m sure my opinion would be much different.

[Ricardo Hernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book that recounts the beginning of the Exchange in Amsterdam. The precepts (or principles) of speculation are still relevant today and is amusing to read the description of the tactics (stratagems in the book) used by bulls and bears, as well as the description of options and short selling.

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was good, talks about the history of the stock market and gives since context of how it used to work. It's interesting, short and sweet.

[Bill Webber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Market hijinks take place no matter what the year...human nature hasn't changed in eons...

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the introduction: "Here is a book written in Spanish by a Portuguese Jew, published in Amsterdam, cast in dialogue form, embellished from start to finish with biblical, historical, and mythological allusions, and yet concerned primarily with the business of the stock exchange and issued as early as 1688."
- An entertaining and surprisingly modern account of the Dutch East Indian Company and the Amsterdam stock exchange in their heyday.

[Bonnie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing has changed in 330 years... a primer for trading and for machiavellians.