After preparing an infographic on the gold standard, this follow-up seemed to be essential:
How to expand this image
If you press CTRL or Command and Plus (+) on your keyboard, your browser should increase the size of your page every time you do this. Press CTRL or Command and the Minus (-) key together to restore the screen to normal. I can get to at least 2 times the normal size by doing this.
How to download this image.
If you right-click the image, you should be given the option to download it to your computer. So long as you do so without a view to making a profit, you may do so without further permission. Commercial use requires consent. But if you just want to share it, do so with whoever and wherever you want. That is the purpose of these infographics.
The image library
We are planning a library of these images. It will be available soon.
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I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I feel that the “infographics” are becoming more info and less graphic. For the above, condensing each box to 3 or 4 points max would improve readability, while including relevant graphics could aid comprehension.
Also, Ctrl+0 will return the screen to normal in one go.
Noted
How would you rewrite this one then and keep the info, which I think the most important element?
I would split it into 3 panels, minimum. The first would consist of boxes 1 & 2 above. Boxes 3, 4 & 5 can consolidate into one box, “Where does money come from?” and join Box 6, “Where does money go?” on the second panel. Boxes 7 & 8 can form the 3rd panel, with some editing for conciseness.
It is a lot of information, so trying to fit it all into one panel could lead to overload, whereas spreading it out, drawing arrows between sections, for example, can ease comprehension.
A lot depends on your target audience, really, but I thought that the target audience for infographics would be those who might not have the attention to read through detailed blog posts.
We are still innovating. Your comments have been taken on board. See this afternoo0n’s versions….
Not sure you can – I think the trade off is “looks better” versus “less information”.
Now, I side with “more info” …. but that is me (and you, I suspect). But Richard C has a legitimate point… sometimes “less is more” and a piece with less text will appeal to many and, most importantly, stick in their minds and prompt further investigation.
The balance is hard…. and I am not the one best placed to judge.
PS. Content is as good as usual
See this afternoon’s efforts. The team are siding against me!
I love these infographics. Although I worked out many years ago that the current economic system since Thatcher was stacked against the best interests of most of society, I wouldn’t have had sufficient in depth knowledge to explain to others why this was the case. Since starting to read your blog a few years ago I do. These infographics are brilliant. I read them carefully and as I do I pretend I have to explain how the economy and financial system works to other people. This one on fiat money filled a gap in my understanding of a statement in an earlier infographic. I look forward to the image library. I hope it can be circulated very widely because it explains how the system works and why politics has become so degraded. I live in Farage’s constituency. Here many people have no idea how they have been deceived by the political choices made. You are doing really important work.
Thank you
As I have said before this is all about the government’s power to collect taxes and to make real goods and services available. It is not a self-contained system. Money is really just a set of promises and when those promises don’t deliver there’s a run on the bank. There is always an exchange rate and a black economy. And rich people who transfer their money offshore. A fiat currency depends entirely on the government’s power to enforce its use. That depends on its exclusive control of resources, including imports and its monopoly of violence. And all the world’s governments have in fact allowed control to pass to corporations and individuals who have contempt for national sovereignty and dictate to governments. They will use any currency they please, including crypto and oil, food, minerals, and they will determine the exchange rate. They decline to pay taxes or be held accountable in any way. So welcome to globalisation. As above, so below – ordinary people will inevitably follow the billionaires in avoiding taxes, walking away from debt and legal obligations, and selfishly grabbing whatever they want when they want. The whole system is collapsing because, led by the billionaires, respect for the law or any ethics is collapsing. Everyone for him /herself. The rot started with the ‘limited liability company’ and it is rapidly becoming the ‘no liability’ of supposed entitlement. As we are seeing in the Middle East, the only law is violence. Taxes cannot be collected. 10,000 Lebanese pounds are currently worth 85p.
The future will have to be local, modest, and co-operative. And exchange of goods and services will probably depend on home production and barter. The fiat currency was fine when there was still national sovereignty, but those days are gone.
I post this, whilst disagreeing with much of it. Your logic is wrong. Your conclusions, equally so.