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The study of money, above all other fields in economics, is one in which complexity is used to disguise truth or to evade truth, not to reveal it. The process by which banks create money is so simple the mind is repelled.
John Kenneth Galbraith
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes that the complexities surrounding money are often used to obscure the truth about its creation and function.

John Kenneth Galbraith highlights the idea that the subject of money within economics is intentionally complex to prevent clear understanding of its true nature. He suggests that while the process by which banks create money is fundamentally simple, the intricacies involved serve to mislead rather than clarify, showing how complexity can act as a barrier to transparency.

Themes

MoneyEconomicsTruthComplexityBanks

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a financial literacy workshop to address the misconceptions about how money works.

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