I want to be clear here: I am not saying this is fair. There are lots of things in life that aren’t fair. What I am saying is that “freedom” is a noble concept and one for which, I believed, I went to war. It includes the freedom to make choices. It is my opinion that our school system is dysfunctional if it does not give our students the freedom of choice over education in the four quadrants. Our world needs more men and women like Steve Jobs, people who needed to leave school to learn about the B and I quadrants. But why should they leave school to do so? Steve Jobs created jobs. Our schools produce enough CEOs, the managerial capitalists who are employees who need a job and often destroy jobs.
It is not fair when our schools teach history that is selective or distorted. Why not tell kids the truth? Much of history is about money. It is a distortion of the truth to say wars are fought for freedom. Wars are fought for money. War is very big business.
It is a distortion, a single-point-of-view opinion, to say that Christopher Columbus was an explorer. He was an entrepreneur, financed by Queen Isabella, who went in search of a trade route to Asia.
Columbus was the Steve Jobs of his era. His discovery of the riches of North and South America made Spain the richest country in the world at the time.
With all the gold stolen, by the great explorers (pirates) such as Francisco Pizzaro, Ferdinand Magellan, and Hernando Cortés, Spain’s economy boomed. Spain, once a great nation, is today one of Europe’s economic basket cases along with Greece, Italy, and France. This time, Spain’s economy went boom and bust not on gold and silver but on debt, counterfeit money from Central Banks, just like the rest of the world.
The great pirates still roam the world. Today, they do not sail ships. Today they run international banks.
Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s words, from 1838, are worth repeating:
“Give me control over a nation’s currency, and I care not who makes its laws.”
Today, he might say:
“Give me control over the world’s currency and I care not who makes its laws.”
Lessons from the Game of Monopoly®
The rules of Monopoly state:
“The Bank never goes broke. If the Bank runs out of money, the Banker may issue as much as needed by writing on any ordinary paper.”
This is why rich dad used the game of Monopoly to teach his son and me about money. My rich dad often said, “Monopoly is the real game of life.”
The World Today
Today, the world runs on counterfeit money, debt, and IOUs from taxpayers.
The bankers who built this global house of cards became very rich, many receiving handouts and bonuses from the government, as millions of taxpayers became very poor.
This is not only true in America. It is true all over the world.
International Gorillas
Here are a few modern-day examples of what happens when pirates take control of a nation’s money.
Japan
Japan’s economy has been stagnant for over 20 years, although Japan has one of the highest savings rates in the world.
So much for the idea that Americans need to save more money to save the economy.
Greece
Greece went bust in 2012 and then retirees began committing suicide, unwilling to face old age in poverty. Spain, Italy, and Portugal are next. In many countries, the best and the brightest leave home in search of opportunity in other countries. This crisis is known as a “brain drain.”
Italy
In Italy in early 2012, in just one day, the price of a gallon of gas went from $10 to $16. This was because of an increase in taxes to help pay the interest on the national debt. The problem with most highly educated bureaucrats is that they think increasing taxes will save the economy. Taxes kill economies, as bankers and politicians get richer.
Three things happen when banks print money: Taxes and inflation go up and people become poorer.
France
France, the second largest economy in Europe, is deeply in debt as growth slows. Rather than work harder, the French want more to have time off, work less, and take earlier retirements. As their productivity declines, so will France.
To solve the problem, France is raising taxes on the rich… just as the United States wants to do. When you tax the rich, the rich (and their money) leave the country.
China
China’s engine of growth is sputtering as unemployment and its military power rises.
Mexico
In Mexico, America’s neighbor, drug lords have more money, guns, and influence than the government. Obviously, this is not an ideal environment in which to raise children.
Give Your Child a Financial Headstart
If you want your child to have an unfair advantage in life, teach them about money and money’s impact on history. Teach them the real rules of money and taxes.
In an upcoming section of this book, you will learn the real life unfair advantages that a financial education can give your child—unfair advantages that even “A” students do not have.
Your Child’s Future
Repeating Edmond Burke’s warning:
“Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Personally, I would rather learn from the history of money… than be crushed by the future of money.
Since 1971, it’s been reported that the U.S. dollar has lost over 90 percent of its purchasing power. It’s not going to take another 40 years to lose the last 10 percent.
Consider this: If you teach your children to be capitalists, educate them about the unfair advantages that the B and I side of the quadrant offers for capitalists, and inform them of the real rules of money and taxes there is less of a chance the four gorillas will stomp on your child’s future.
Action Step for Parents
Use money problems as opportunities to learn.
My mom and dad did their best to protect the kids from their money problems.
The problem was all four of us kids knew we had problems. Rather than learn to face our money problems, we learned to hide from them.
When my rich dad had money problems or employee problems, he would use the real-life problem as an opportunity to learn. He would take the time to explain the problem and possible solutions to the problem.
Rich dad often said, “Problems can make you smarter. Problems can also make you poorer. It’s your choice.”
When money problems occur in your home, I suggest parents use this book or other resources to seek possible solutions to your personal financial problems. Then discuss the problem and possible solutions growing smarter and bigger than the problem.
A family can use money problems—and working through solutions—as a way to grow smarter together. Later in life, when your child is faced with money problems, this habit will help them see the problems as opportunities to grow smarter about money.
If your child is too young or not yet ready to handle the sometimes disturbing real-world money problems, take them grocery shopping and discuss how you budget your money to feed the family. That will be a real world education.