The Dollar’s Down 99% Since Nixon Temporarily Took us off Gold Standard
The Dollar’s Down 99% Since Nixon Temporarily Took us off Gold Standard
Arcadia Economics: 8-20-2025
What if one seemingly temporary financial decision, made decades ago, has profoundly shaped your economic reality today, from the value of your dollar to the global power balance?
That’s the powerful question at the heart of a recent video from Arcadia Economics, featuring the insightful Vince Lanci. The discussion dives deep into a pivotal moment in financial history: August 15, 1971, the day President Richard Nixon unilaterally severed the U.S. dollar’s link to gold.
Dubbed the “Nixon Shock,” this decision effectively ended the Bretton Woods system, which had pegged the dollar to gold and other currencies to the dollar.
Nixon presented it as a temporary measure, a necessary step to combat inflation and foreign speculation. However, as Lanci meticulously details, what began as a short-term fix unleashed a cascade of long-term, irreversible consequences that continue to reverberate through our global economy.
Fast forward to today, and the chickens are coming home to roost. The video highlights how the long-term repercussions of Nixon’s 1971 decision are now manifesting in the erosion of U.S. hegemony and the rise of alternative monetary strategies worldwide.
Central banks globally are sending clear signals: they’re increasingly dumping U.S. Treasuries and, significantly, accumulating gold once again as a core reserve asset.
This isn’t just a cyclical shift; it’s a strategic repositioning away from a system that no longer offers the same perceived stability.
Vince Lanci previews an upcoming, thought-provoking article titled “The End of Free Market Capitalism and the US Debt for Equity Swap.” This analysis suggests that with foreign buyers of U.S. Treasuries retreating, America may be facing a critical juncture.
The U.S. might soon need to explore exchanging equity stakes in its future — meaning, pieces of its economic engine and assets — for the capital inflows it desperately needs. This potential scenario marks a significant deviation from a purely free-market capitalist system, signaling a monumental shift in how the nation might finance its future.
Amidst these macroeconomic tidal shifts, specific market signals offer glimpses of opportunity and change. The discussion also touches upon recent precious metals updates, including exciting news from Argenta Silver about exceptional drill results indicating very high silver concentrations.
Such developments underscore the importance of monitoring market signals, policy shifts, and resource potential in navigating these uncertain economic times.
The Arcadia Economics video with Vince Lanci serves as a crucial reminder that historical decisions have tangible, long-lasting consequences.
These aren’t just abstract economic concepts; they are live, evolving challenges that impact every facet of our financial lives and the global economic order.