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美元的榮光：全球通用貨幣何去何從
美元享受「過分特權」的日子結束了嗎？
世界貨幣秩序的崩壞與重整迫在眉睫
全世界最重要的貨幣─美元─正面臨前所未見的挑戰！
不要以為美元強弱，跟你無關！
美元推動貿易，美元造就全球化，美元堪稱是世界史上最了不起的貨幣成就。
如今美元疲態漸露，對於全球貿易、投資和經濟情勢，都將帶來重大衝擊。
如果美元失去優勢，歐元或人民幣可能取而代之嗎？全球主要貨幣改朝換代，「等於是對每一個人課徵全球稅……。」
地球上，勢力最強大、最能為人清楚辨識，最廣受使用與散布的記號無庸置疑是「＄」！美元是一種紙上要求權，沒有內在價值，但地球上的每一個角落都接受它的面值──事實上，美元的背後只有美國，其他什麼都沒有。
美元之於全世界，就像水之於魚。美元每天圍繞著我們運作，我們也理所當然地認為美元將永遠和我們常相左右。很少人靜下心來思考美元在當今世界上的力量有多大，也未曾思考美元驅動全球景氣繁榮的程度有多高；相對地，也很少有人仔細思量美元的特權地位是否有結束的一天，更難想像那代表著什麼樣的意義──美元讓位會在世界各地造成衝擊，導致全球貿易與投資成本大幅上升。
本書將帶領你參加一個遊覽全球經濟的美元實景旅遊行程，從中實地體驗美元能否度過它的存在危機，至少美元需要接受一個痛苦的事實：它的全球地位將會降低。或者，我們可能會發現，略微削弱美元「至高無上」的地位，會比所有立即性的替代方案更理想。從聯邦儲備理事會的強大勢力、中央銀行的祕密聖殿，到有能力決定貨幣價值，卻鮮少曝光的外匯交易圈，作者從各個角度追溯和探討美元的歷史與榮光，現在和未來。
世界貨幣秩序的崩壞與重整迫在眉睫
全世界最重要的貨幣─美元─正面臨前所未見的挑戰！
不要以為美元強弱，跟你無關！
美元推動貿易，美元造就全球化，美元堪稱是世界史上最了不起的貨幣成就。
如今美元疲態漸露，對於全球貿易、投資和經濟情勢，都將帶來重大衝擊。
如果美元失去優勢，歐元或人民幣可能取而代之嗎？全球主要貨幣改朝換代，「等於是對每一個人課徵全球稅……。」
地球上，勢力最強大、最能為人清楚辨識，最廣受使用與散布的記號無庸置疑是「＄」！美元是一種紙上要求權，沒有內在價值，但地球上的每一個角落都接受它的面值──事實上，美元的背後只有美國，其他什麼都沒有。
美元之於全世界，就像水之於魚。美元每天圍繞著我們運作，我們也理所當然地認為美元將永遠和我們常相左右。很少人靜下心來思考美元在當今世界上的力量有多大，也未曾思考美元驅動全球景氣繁榮的程度有多高；相對地，也很少有人仔細思量美元的特權地位是否有結束的一天，更難想像那代表著什麼樣的意義──美元讓位會在世界各地造成衝擊，導致全球貿易與投資成本大幅上升。
本書將帶領你參加一個遊覽全球經濟的美元實景旅遊行程，從中實地體驗美元能否度過它的存在危機，至少美元需要接受一個痛苦的事實：它的全球地位將會降低。或者，我們可能會發現，略微削弱美元「至高無上」的地位，會比所有立即性的替代方案更理想。從聯邦儲備理事會的強大勢力、中央銀行的祕密聖殿，到有能力決定貨幣價值，卻鮮少曝光的外匯交易圈，作者從各個角度追溯和探討美元的歷史與榮光，現在和未來。
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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361 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 9, 2008
I wish I had a stronger finance/economic background to better appreciate this book, but even so, it's a fairly accessible and quite interesting (if at times depressing) look at global economies through the lens of the dollar.
March 17, 2021
I learned quite a bit from reading this book and it also triggered me to go and find out more about my own country's Reserve Bank and what currencies they hold - it was eye opening!
Living in the Asia region makes you look at some of the points the book makes from a different perspective, and I have to think that the dollar still has some time to run yet in Asia given China's more recent introspective government policies.
Thought provocing and educational. If you've got a spare few hours on a rainy weekend, this book is well worth your time.
Living in the Asia region makes you look at some of the points the book makes from a different perspective, and I have to think that the dollar still has some time to run yet in Asia given China's more recent introspective government policies.
Thought provocing and educational. If you've got a spare few hours on a rainy weekend, this book is well worth your time.
August 8, 2021
Good!
Enlightening. After you read this book your faith in the dollar currency might diminish. The best part of this book was the third part where it illustrates the role of the dollar as a reserve currency and the dangers of it.
Enlightening. After you read this book your faith in the dollar currency might diminish. The best part of this book was the third part where it illustrates the role of the dollar as a reserve currency and the dangers of it.
January 1, 2019
Wonderful book. I would love to read an updated version
Want to read
April 17, 2020Tim ferriss recommendation
March 27, 2009
"Biography Of The Dollar: How The Mighty Buck Conquered The World And Why It's Under Siege" is an interesting look at the American currency and its position in the world economy.
Karmin approaches the subject from a number of perspectives. One chapter provides a fascinating look into the world of currency exchange trading, and describes how some firms can very strongly affect the economies of countries by making trades against their currencies. Another chapter looks at the history of currency in the US, from the free banking era to the current day, and also looks at the issue of counterfeiting. Another part of the book looks at the country of Ecuador, which made the decision, in the face of burgeoning devaluation, to abandon its own currency and replace it entirely with the dollar, effectively turning it into what the author calls a "dollar colony".
Most importantly, the book also deals with the amount of foreign debt the US has racked up, now at such a level that the country pays 1 million in foreign interest for every man, woman and child in the US. At this point, careless remarks by, say, the head of the Central Bank of Korea, can cause huge sell-offs leading to severe loss of value for the dollar (as happened just a few years ago), and if the floodgates ever really open, the collapse of the currency could lead to nothing less than global economic collapse. It's scary to think how realistic that scenario is.
The book is written in a crisp, easy-to-read style and at a level where most people with even the most basic grasp of economic principles (i.e. me) can understand and learn from it. It's a very informative and surprisingly enjoyable read, given the subject.
Karmin approaches the subject from a number of perspectives. One chapter provides a fascinating look into the world of currency exchange trading, and describes how some firms can very strongly affect the economies of countries by making trades against their currencies. Another chapter looks at the history of currency in the US, from the free banking era to the current day, and also looks at the issue of counterfeiting. Another part of the book looks at the country of Ecuador, which made the decision, in the face of burgeoning devaluation, to abandon its own currency and replace it entirely with the dollar, effectively turning it into what the author calls a "dollar colony".
Most importantly, the book also deals with the amount of foreign debt the US has racked up, now at such a level that the country pays 1 million in foreign interest for every man, woman and child in the US. At this point, careless remarks by, say, the head of the Central Bank of Korea, can cause huge sell-offs leading to severe loss of value for the dollar (as happened just a few years ago), and if the floodgates ever really open, the collapse of the currency could lead to nothing less than global economic collapse. It's scary to think how realistic that scenario is.
The book is written in a crisp, easy-to-read style and at a level where most people with even the most basic grasp of economic principles (i.e. me) can understand and learn from it. It's a very informative and surprisingly enjoyable read, given the subject.
August 8, 2008
This is the store of the dollar and how it became a world currency, how it effects markets and how that effects the United States. The story itself is like the stock market. Sometimes riveting, sometimes depressing, sometimes confusing, sometimes awe inspiring and not always understandable. Yet, the dollar is an amazing force in the world. Karmin tries to make the story understandable and for the most part he does a pretty good job. Parts of the book get repetitive and he spends too much time on Ecuador's dollarization. If you have any interest in this story this book would be a good place to start.
May 15, 2010
This is by far one of my favorite books in my finance/economics collection. Whether you have a doctorates degree or a high school diploma, this book is written in a way anyone can understand. The chapter "Fishing in the 3 trillion dollar pond" paints an exciting picture of what it would be like to be a currency trader on the edge betting large for pension funds and big time investors. Other chapters cover history of the Dollar from the Civil War to Bretton Woods and beyond, the U.S. Bureau of Printing and Engraving, and more. I have read this book 5 times from front to back and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn!
October 15, 2009
An interesting book but it could have been 100 pages shorter. He takes a long time to get to the point, like so many authors do these days. It would be interesting to see an updated version of the book.
July 25, 2016
Another difficult read for me. This enticing book was hard for me to read because this was the year I began to read a lot for the first time in my adult life. I would recommend this to my well read friends.
June 12, 2008
Informative, interesting, but could be quite sum-up-y toward the end of each chapter.
June 19, 2009
Not a lot of new information. Balanced perspective on the dollar's past, present and potential future in the global economy.
November 8, 2010
I read this for a class, to help me for a research paper and for a financial book, it was a surprisingly good read, would I read it again? Ummm no...
July 14, 2015
Much better understanding of what happened with Bretton Woods and the Gold Standard after reading this book.
August 13, 2012
just a great info read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews