Episode notes
The Origins of the Austrian School of Economics
"There are two types of enlightenment. Grass roots, like the Austrian or Scottish kind, or Top down like the Jacobin or Fabian kind."
Rahim Taghizadegan is most well known as an Author, Bitcoiner & Educator/University Lecturer and the “Last Austrian Economist in the direct Austrian Tradition”.
He wrote a piece for the latest Bitcoin Times, Austrian Edition.
You can read and boost that here:
https://bitcointimes.com.au/from-bitcoin-to-the-austrian-school/
This man is an absolute WEALTH of knowledge and I we had an incredible discussion about the origins of Austrian Economics, money, banking and merchant networks - all which are precedents to Bitcoin.
If you’re a history buff and love to learn about the origin of things, THIS is an episode you will absolutely love.
We cover:
A history of Austrian Economics:
- Menger & his lineage. Menger as a bright “node” in emergent Austrian thinking
- A little about the Crown prince
- Who was the Nobel Laureate (Hayek?)
- Menger’s students
“Two lesser-known nodes in the network of the Austrian School would go on to have a much more profound impact on the world than the academic heirs of that tradition.”
Felix Somary who became one of the founders of Swiss private banking.
Richard SchĂĽller, one of the best-connected diplomats of his time, who played an equally underestimated role in the return to peace after the World Wars and the independence of small post-war Austria.
The difference between the Prussians of that era and their focus on Politics, VS the Austrian focus on culture and enterprise.
“In the Austrian empire, a limited group of merchants had been granted total economic freedom and tax exemptions to make up for the relative backwardness of the empire. Successful entrepreneurs gathered in Vienna, and their quickly rising wealth brought leisure without political clout, influencing, among others, people like Menger and Hayek.“
“In a way, they resembled the Scottish Tobacco merchants whose leisure and similar distance from the state had fostered the Scottish Enlightenment. And there had indeed been old intellectual connections through Scottish and Irish monks and the scholastic tradition.”
- How did Switzerland emerge in the first place?
- Switzerland and Alpine Regions as microcosms and remnants of the glory of Europe.
- Emergent VS Top Down enlightenment.
- Who were the Fabians & the Jacobins?
- What is their view & model of the world?
- Why has that remained so appealing?
- Does Bitcoin change that?
This was an incredible conversation and one that I hope you will learn alot from.
Rahim made a book recommendation:
“The Raven of Zurich”
Go pick that up.
You can follow Rahim's work on twitter:
And of course, go check out the Essay & support The Bitcoin Times here:
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Thanks again for listening.
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