Summary of the Book
Currency Wars by James Rickards is an examination of the overt and covert wars fought in the field of global finance. Currency wars refer to the financial competition between countries seeking to devalue their own currencies.
Lower exchange rates increase the cost of imports. This could indirectly promote the growth of the domestic industry and create more jobs. However, it could have serious consequences as the other countries are hit back by devaluation of their currency. This book takes the reader deep into this dangerous and secretive battlefield.
In 1971, in a bid to end a currency war that had destroyed faith in the Dollar, President Nixon implemented price controls and also took the major step of taking the United States of America off the gold standard.
The author explains that, now, decades later, American economy is caught up in another currency war that can have far more serious consequences. If not brought under control, this book warns that this current currency war can result in a crisis worse than the panic of 2008 that triggered the stock market crash. Currency wars have happened before, with dire consequences such as the collapse of paper currency, gold confiscation, and frozen assets. The author warns of a serious threat to America’s national security and serious impact on global economy if the current currency war is not checked before it gets out of hand.