Sveta`s Essays about Art, Gold and Politics

Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Sveta’s Essays
about
Art, Gold and Politics
2004 - 2008
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Is Craft intellectually satisfying? - by Sveta
Political ideology, visual images, mass media and moments of history - by Sveta
St. Georges Church: Architectural Analysis by Sveta
Bridgewater Shopping Mall by Sveta
Analysis of an Object from the Weldon Ceramic Collection, King’s College Library by Sveta
El Lissitzky— an Agent for Change
by Sveta
Gold und Silber hab' ich gern by Sveta
GOLD-REBELLOG eröffnet by Sveta
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Is Craft intellectually satisfying?
T his is a good question. It‘s sounds like a simple one
and the answer to it shouldn‘t be difficult to find, but this
is exactly the sort of question, which turns to be tricky,
once you give it a serious thought.
The four words ―Is Craft intellectually satisfying?‖ touch
actually two different subjects: the subject of a craft and
the subject of an intellectual satisfaction. In order to give
an answer to the ―big‖ question: how one subject is
related to the other, it is necessarily at first to answer
many ―small‖ questions.
What is an ―intellectual satisfaction‖? How to assess it?
I guess it varies from person to person. Everybody looks
for different ways to satisfy his or her intellect. Some
people need to conquer Nietzsche and read front stories
of ―Washington Post‖ before breakfast, while the others are completely content with the latest paperback thriller
and sports evening on TV. Comparison between both intellectual levels is not relevant for the ―big‖ question.
What is ―Craft‖? How to define it in our very diversified world?
At first, born from a need of humans to ease the circumstances of their daily life it went along with a progress of
development of a mankind: from clumsy chopped wood sticks to intricate rococo carvings; from rough scraped
animal skins to the elaborate pieces of fashion; from clay pots of simple form to fine china; from strings of bear
claws to exquisite jewelry. Products of craft and processes of making them were in the center of all economical
stages: from objects being made for personal needs to items of natural trade, from manufacture production to
industrialism.
Not to make things complicated I won‘t consider industrial and manufacture mass production qualified for the
question of an intellectual satisfaction, were is still enough handmade craft in the world to talk about.
There are in a rough outline two groups of handmade products and two groups of people making them.
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Political ideology, visual images, mass media and moments of history
Based upon the Book ―Practices of looking‖
from Chapter 1 ―Images and ideology‖, from
Chapter 2 ―Reading images as ideological
subjects‖, from Chapter 5 ―Media and the public
sphere‖ and an essay of Adrian Piper ―Ideology,
confrontation and political self-awareness‖.
In the mind of many people political ideology is
often associated with dictatorial systems, such as
for example National Socialism or Communism.
But, as the book and essay establish ―By living
in a society, we live in ideology.‖ meaning that
ideology, also political ideology is an element of
a democracy.
Adrian Piper called ideologies pernicious and
formulated
three
point
essential
for
identification of ideology:
1. The false identity mechanism. Identification
of beliefs, as objective facts.
2. The illusion of perfectibility. The end of selfscrutiny is achieved and there is no need to
further examinations.
3. The one-way communication mechanism.
Treating own pronouncements as imparting
genuine information, but treating those of other people as mere symptoms of some moral or psychological
defect.
Already the Ideologists of the 20th century realized early enough the possibilities of the new mass media and
power of images as the means for carrying out their ideas to the citizens of their countries and the world. As for
example movie of Leni Riefenstahl made during the Olympic games in 1936 in Nazi Germany paying tribute to
the beauty of the healthy Aryan body. The myth of the photographic truth gave the ideologists additional
possibility to claim the objectivity for their course, making viewers forget how easily the images can be
manipulated with just a different commentary or by removing or implanting elements from or to them. After
Trotzkys emigration from Soviet Union under Stalin regime all of his images were erased from the photos of the
Russian revolution thought he was a man who made this revolution happening. Of course to manipulate the
public in a dictatorship is much easier as to do the same in a democracy, but not entirely impossible, especially if
the owners of the media have an interest in the same ideology and carry out similar beliefs. To produce images
and to choose which images the public get to see in order to convince people in justness/correctness of political
ideologies has also one important benefit in our 21st century. After the significant political events of the 20th
century which were captured for public through the lens of the photo- or film camera the image makes of today
know what people want to see, what moves them and which associations they make.
The American politic in the last years is for me a great example about the birth of the political ideology and
attempt to support it and influenced the public through visual images.
As we know today, the idea of a new world order was shaped during the 1990 by the neoconservative thinkers in
US. Elimination of Saddam Hussein was one of the key elements for archiving peace in Middle East and
subsequently the world. In the January 2001 George W. Bush became 43rd President of America and many of
the neocons, including vice president Dick Cheney and secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld became important
positions in the Government.
Thought new ideologists came to the power, the case of Saddam was not yet presented to the broad public.
Everything changed on September 11.
The chilling images of two planes flying low and crashing into the Twin Towers would stay with us forever
through the remaining history of a mankind. It is something we never seen before and hopefully will never see
again. The photo of a fireman raising flag over the ―Ground Zero‖ became a symbolic meaning and stands in the
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
same row as the other image icons: the photo of Joe Rosenthal of American soldiers, raising flag over the island
Iwo Jima or the photo of Yevgeni Khaldei of the Russian soldiers raising flag over bomb-wrecked Berlin. The
ruins of WTC in our minds are identical with the images we know of the war and indeed they and the image of
smoked Pentagon confirmed the statement of the President that America ―was at war‖. The attack was almost
immediately established as an act of the Arab terrorist and the image of the Osama bin Laden with the bounty
put on his head indicated him not as a political force, but as a common criminal. The images of the debris of
WTC united, as nothing before almost all countries under the roof of the UN and provided the maybe only one
chance in history to take down the taliban regime in Afghanistan. But this was not enough to satisfy the neocons
and politic makers. Iraq was their goal. All three points identified by Piper began to take shape: false identity,
perfectibility and one-way communication. In the following months Saddam, W.M.D. and harboring of terrorists
groups became center of attention. The White House, Pentagon and other institutions put a lot of pressure on
CIA and with every scrap of information became more and more convinced that their beliefs are the actual facts.
The media, specially led by right-wing press magnate Rupert Murdoch eagerly took the hint and painted Saddam
as evil. His image was always linked to the image of Ossama even then there was never the actual connection.
He was always shown in his uniform in uniform before his council or aiming his newly presented gun at some
target, the image which rise the question: ―Who is he pointing at?‖ (For those who are interested in history this
image of Saddam reminds of the documentary movie image made of Stalin, who in the same fashion aims his
newly presented gun at the opening of a Congress of the Communistic party and pointing it at the delegates.
From hundreds of them Stalin time survived only view.) Old images of Saddams ready to fight army were shown
again and again. Because there were never the actual images of W.M.D they there very vividly painted by Colin
Powel in his famous or may be infamous speech in front of the UN and the world and by President himself, ―We
cannot wait for the final proof- the smoking gun- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.‖ The
mentioning of the mushroom cloud is enough to wake up the image of the mushroom cloud over Japan imprinted
in our minds. The more time went, the more the President, his administration and, as result of media campaign,
the public were convinced that their idea of taking out Saddam by military force would be the perfect solution to
many problems, including terrorism. The critical voices were very faint, for America was at war and at those
times, after the tradition nobody criticized the Government. Those who raised their voices were simply
proclaimed ―unpatriotic‖ and ―Liberals‖. ―Dixie Chicks‖ who were ashamed of the President from Texas were
banished from local mostly conservative Radio and TV stations and trashed by the press. Peter Arnett, the
famous journalist was fired for his critical remarks. TV did not welcome antiwar aids and banished all the
antiwar slogans from Grammy and Oscar events. Administration and American press heavily discredited Hans
Blix the Chief weapons inspector. Even more prominent one-way communication became evident in the foreign
policy of the US with the countries opposing the war. Rumsfeld sneered at especially France and Germany as the
―Old Europe‖. Old wounds were reopened. The media painted Germany as ―unthankful‖, sells of German
products and exports to the US went down for the next months. More punches were thrown toward France. It
began with official renaming of ―French fries‖ into ―Freedom fries‖. (By the way the name ―French fries‖ has
not as much to do with France as with the cook of Thomas Jefferson who named this particular style of potatoes
after the European country.) It went so far as suggesting boycott against French products, such as Michelin tires
and French wine, not considering that the tires were made by American workers and wine bought and paid by
American importers. Nothing matted at the time and the images of the Americans draining French wine into the
sewerage went around the world. Russian President Putin was called ―Chiracs puddle‖, UN as the ―the looming
chatterbox on the Hudson‖.
So sure in their own ideology and politics the current administrations marched to a war. To use the mass media
as a useful instrument for promotion of the war the term of the ―embedded‖ journalism was found. The images
of the heavy equipped American soldiers were very impressive and boosted sale of the military equipment from
sunglasses to GPS and we were presented with images of the top Iraqi officials adorning playing cards.
Everybody waited for the first promised images of happy Iraqis. The images of them from the Gulf war there
constantly present in the media, but not many of this kind came from the operation ―Iraqi Freedom‖ and those
view there repeated over and over. The swift march toward Baghdad was not a ―cake-walk‖ but still gave us gut
impression of the superiority of the American army, while the feared Saddams forces simply disappeared in Iraqi
desert leaving us almost no images. Then, from the Arab TV came the first photos of captured and dead
American soldiers, which arouse protest from American site, because it went against the international
agreements. The famous rescue mission of Jessica Lynch resembles reality TV show, the legend and the icon
was created, even if only for the first time. War needs heroes. Then came the fall of Baghdad. But liberated
Baghdad did not resemble the image of liberated Paris by the end of WWII and the image of the statue of
Saddam taken down did not carry the same power and convey the same fillings as the images of the broken
through Berlin wall. Then came the theatrical stunt of the President Bush. Landing on the USS Lincoln in full
gear he announce the end of the major combat operations. His image was so impressive, almost like an image of
an fearless warrior who led his troops into the battle, that the viewer forget, that most of the war he spent behind
his table and like all of as in front of the TV. It was the last time the administration and the media spoke the same
language. From that moment, the media went on counting the casualties on both sides and bringing every day
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Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
more disturbing images of violence, while the President and the Administration are trying to insure us that with
the elimination of Saddam Iraq and the world became better and safer place. In the years to come the history will
judge over the current political ideology and events, the viewer over the value of the images and influence of the
mass media. But it is already clear how tightly woven those components are. Today every rebel, terrorist or
bandit in Iraq knows the simple formula: behead a hostage, take it on video, send the tape to a TV station, make
with that your ideology clear and it would keep terrified foreigners from the country.
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St. Georges Church:
Architectural Analysis
St. Georges Round Church, named
after one of the famous Christian
martyrs, stands at the corner of
Brunswick and Cornwallis Streets.
Elevated on the hill, overlooking the
harbour, it harmoniously includes the
existing landscape conditions into the
building plan. The stairs connect the
street level with the floor of the main
entrance and the next set of stairs
connect this level with the main floor
of the church. Originally built in a
Palladian style it has undergone
alterations and reconstructions, so
today‘s plan of the church could be
devided into five parts. The original
two hundred year old rotunda is still
the central part of St George‘s Church.
The main aisle, or the nave, cuts it
from east to west into two symmetrical halves, giving the building the main axis. The east end of the nave leads
through the set of doors to the main entrance. The west end is approaching the chancel, the third identifiable part
of the church. The last two additions, the orgelroom
with back entrance and clergy room are attached to the
rotunda and north and south walls of the altar. The
rotunda, as the the originally central planned church
dictates the proportions for the later attached parts.
The floor plan of the entrance is an almost perfect
square, distorted only at the corners where it is attached
to the circular outer wall of the Round church. The
length and width of the basic square of the entrance
equals the length of the radius of the rotunda. The floor
plan of the chancel measures three quarters of the
rotunda‘s radius in width and approximately the equal
size of the radius in length. The east end is connected to
the church‘s main rotunda and opens to its interior, the
west ends wall has a semicircular shape or the apse,
forming St. Georges smaller second rotunda. Two
symmetrical buildings on both sides of the altar have the
same width, equal to the half width of the chancel, their
length follows north and south walls of altar, ending
before the west wall begins to form the smaller rotunda.
There is a small porch at the entrance to the clergy
room. Together, the chancel and two additional
buildings at the west side of the church, intentionally
planned or not, have a shape of a triptych or a three
parts winged altar, their combined width equals three
quarters of the rotunda‘s diameter. The length of the
entrance and the altar equals the radius length of the
rotunda. The length of the entire chirch equals double length of rotunda. Overall, the lengths and widths of the
five parts of the Round church point out that throughout the different stages of construction, the proportions of
all new parts were based on the size of the original rotunda.
The facade and exterior walls of the building are covered in bluish-grey siding, the wooden pilasters imitating
supporting columns, and the window frames are painted white. The plain design of the church‘s pilasters with
unfluted shaft, simple capital and base, are very chracteristic of the Tuscan order, the simplified adaptation of the
Doric order by the Romans.
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The main rotunda has three classical stories: lover, upper and dome. The lower level has four windows on each
side, the upper level has five windows on the south side and four on the north. The roof of the rotunda supports
the saucer dome, its diameter is approximately half of the diameter of the rotunda. The dome is crowned by a
cupola. The heights of the later added parts were adjacent to the rotundas. The chancel has two stories with four
windows on the upper level. The lower level of the main entrance is connected to the lower level of the rotunda
by stairs, the upper part of this structure with an arched window is on the same level as rotunda‘s upper story.
The clergy room with two windows is only one story high, while the orgel room on the other side of the chancel
is two stories high, has a small back entrance and no windows.
The facade of classical dimensions, length equalling
double height, superimposes different elements. As a
whole, it reminds of the temple front with missing
pediment. The entablature has three main classical
elements: the architrave, the plain frieze and cornice
with dentils, typical for Ionic and Corinthian orders. The
length of the entablature rests on four Tuscan pilasters:
two corner pilasters and two just a short distance beside
them. In the middle, between the tall pilasters are three
dark painted doors, set in the frames of triumphal arches
with lower Tuscan pilasters on each side and windows
in the arched central sections. The roof of the main
entrance supports the almost cubical plain structure with
an arched window and a set of dentils below the cornice
of the roof. Inside the structure is the staircase.
The main doors lead into the small enclosed porch.
From there, the set of five dark wooden doors leads into
the vestibule with a staircase to the main rotunda of the
church. The five doors support the beam of the same
wood and an arched window above each door. Beyond
them, the wide dark wooden stairs with railings,
supported by carved balusters, lead to the next floor on
the same level with the main floor of the rotunda. Three
double doors and two Tuscan order pilasters on which
rests the interior entablatur with architrave, frieze,
cornice and even dentils, mark the entrance into the
oldest part of the St. Georges. The rich dark colour of the wood, contrasting with the whiteness of the walls and
the burgundy carpet are the only noted decorations in this part of the church structure.
The rotunda, originally enclosing the entire church, today provides the space for the congregation. The nave cuts
the pews in the middle and the entire room into two equal halves. Two side aisles follow the circular path
dividing the central pews from those, which lines the sides of the rotunda. The eight rectangular windows of the
lower level consists of twenty four lights separated by mullions. Each big window is framed by moldings similar
to the Tuscan pilasters with additional square base. Between the windows, adorning the walls, are more plain
Tuscan order pilasters and the memorial plates of different classical designs. Six Tuscan columns, arranged in a
semi-circle on each side of the nave and positioned between the central pews, support the entablature of the
second story gallery with the railing and carved ballusters. The gallery, following the shape of the rotunda, is
interrupted only on the west end of the church axel where the rotunda is connected to the chancel. The rows of
the gallery‘s pews line up the walls in the same fashion as on the lower level. The windows too have twenty four
lights, forming the rectanqular shape, but with an added round-headed arch of six lights on top. The same style
plane pilasters are placed between the windows. The gallery is high enough for the additional semi-circular
balcony on the east side, facing the chancel. The gallery‘s entablature, supported by columns of the lower level,
provides the platform for the next order in the same number. The upper level Tuscan columns, rest on the cubical
bases between railing segments, and are connected to each other‘s capitals by arches, forming the support for the
entablature of the structure of the dome.
The dome, crowning the church, consists of two shells. The inside shell is built of twelve blue colored segments,
connected by golden ribs. The outside shell sits on the circular base with a row of windows. The outside walls of
the base are covered with the same grey-bluish siding, as the whole church and the row of the dentils is the only
decoration of this part. In between two shells, there is an attic and a stair case, leading into cupola with an
outside belvedair and a weathervane in form of Halley‘s Comet. Cupola shelters the church‘s bell. The chancel,
two stories high has no windows at the lower level, but a clerestory row of four windows at the upper level. The
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arched windows are decorated
with half arched moldings on the
top. The aisle between choir
pews leads to the four steps of the
high altar. Triptych, or a three
part winged altar, is fixed against
the circular west wall. The right
and left wings are formed by two
pairs of Tuscan order columns,
supporting
the
entablature
structure with corniche and
prominent dentils. An arch,
connecting those two wings,
defines the middle part. The altar
table is decorated with candles,
flowers and a golden cross. Big
orgel is built into the room on the
north side of the chancel. Of all
the parts in the church, the
chancel is the most decorated
space. Wrapped around its lower level is the wallpaper, resembling in design those of the Arts and Crafts
Movement. On the pale pink background there are rows of medallions in sage green, burgundy and blue colours,
with symbols of fleur-de-lis, crowns and exotic flowers. A band in golden colour with inscriptions trims the
upper edge of the wallpaper; the dark wooden panels cover the bottom part. The prominent spot in the arched
middle part of the winged altar is painted the same blue as the dome and fixtures, the symbol of the crown with
the radiating rays of light and word Jesus in a golden color. The passage between the chancel and the rotunda
and two ends of the interrupted almost circular gallery is marked by decorative intersecting vaults. The clergy
room is closed to the public, the other small room is a plane back entrance.
There is probably no definite answer to the question of whether Leon Battista Alberti would enjoy this church or
not. We can only take his ideas and analyze them one by one. He would probably approve of the elevated
position of the building, which sets it apart from the surrounded structures. There is no beautiful square, but we
have to keep in mind that at the time that the church was originally built, the houses around it were in lesser
numbers and represented a more harmonious architectural ensemble. The facade has some classical temple front
fixtures, but Alberti would probably find the absence of the pediment troublesome. The dome, built in saucer
design, suggests cosmic existence. The colour scheme of the outside as well as the inside is cool and
harmonious. All ornaments are classical, there are no sculptures, but the memorial plates have distinct classical
futures. There are no paintings, or frescos, but decorative wallpaper decorates the chancel, as well as inscriptions
to stimulate the mind.
There are a number of characteristics which go against Alberti‘s theory. The missing pediment and the not very
prominent pilasters, or even lack of the columns, take the front away from a classical temple image. The church
has more windows than Alberti had ever imagined and the decoration, without any precious materials, is more
sparce as in his own work. The fence around the prorperty and the surrounding modern buildings worsen the
outside picture. The original plan of the church in neoclassical style, and the second plan, would have been
preferred over the final construction, but the orgel addition was no small matter and the problem would not have
been resolved without the last additions. Overall, Alberti would likely not have disapproved of the current state
of the church, but nonetheless, may have made propositions of how to beautify it.
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Bridgewater Shopping Mall
Description
This shopping mall is located in the middle of the town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia right on the bank of the
river LaHave near the Old Bridge, on the busy intersection with Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons and a car repair
shop. A movie theater, Home Hardware and many other small stores are in a close walking distance. The Mall is
a long rectangular building with a flat roof and brown brick siding with some names of the businesses, such as
Zellers, Payless Shoe‘s and Sobeys in big letters attached to it. Along the front side of the building stretches a
parking lot for customer‘s cars. From this parking lot, three doors lead the way inside the mall: one is placed in
the middle of the front side and two some distance to the right and left of it. This two doors lead into the biggest
stores: the retail outlet Zellers occupies the right end of the mall, the food market Sobeys the left end. The central
entrance leads to a ―central court‖, a spacious square in the middle of the mall. There is an information desk and
also two small sitting areas, which belongs to a
Chinese eatery and A&W. The other sitting
space of the mall is near Sobeys. This one
belongs to Tim Hortons and Dairy Queen.
Tables and chairs are fixed units made of wood.
Only the Chinese eatery has single pieces of
furniture. The floor of the corridors and sitting
areas is covered in beige tiles, while the floor of
the shops is gray linoleum. All the walls are
painted white. The mall is brightly lit by
electrical light. Along the corridors and above
the sitting areas are lamps installed in the
ceiling. Each shop has each its own
illumination. Some have chosen halogen light,
some big lamps and some smaller direct lights.
All the shops have huge floor-to-ceiling glass
doors and windows, so that I can easily see
everything inside when passing by. There are
two small private shops: the cobbler‘s business and a children‘s toy store ―Smarty Pants‖. Well-known chains
such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Radio Shack, Coles, Reitmans, Eclipse, Dorlene, Payless Shoes, San Francisco,
and Charm Jewelry occupy the other places. Employees of Sobeys, Zellers and Shoppers Drug Mart have
uniforms, employees of other stores don‘t. There is Scotiabank and the office of a dentist. The mall is well airconditioned. The only smells are is the smell of coffee from Tim Hortons and cheap Chinese burning sticks from
San Francisco, when I am close to those places. One quarter of the shops is empty and windows have posters
―for lease‖.
Analysis
The mall occupies the best real estate spot in Bridgewater. Parking spaces provide convenience for many
customers, especially from surrounding areas of the town for many kilometers. The mall itself is absolutely
unremarkable. Nothing signifies the connection of the mall to the town of Bridgewater. Architecturally, the
building reminds me of a shoebox with many small compartments, walls of which could be taken out easily. The
interior design is impersonal and ordinary. The same shops can be found everywhere in Canada. After my own
yearlong shopping experience, I can say in general that none of the shops compare to the competition on the
market belongs into the category ―expensive‖. Even Charm Jewelry highest prices don‘t go over 300$, which is
the low end in jewelry business. The uniformed employees of Sobeys, Zellers and Shoppers Drug Mart could
work in any other store of those chains from coast to coast. The Chinese eatery, the cobbler and children‘s toy
store are the only ones, where I would look for something special and pay close attention to their products, menu
or services, while in others I almost always know what I came for and from which rack or shelf to take it. The
food from A&W, Tim Hortons or Dairy Queen is cheap and intended for customers as a fast meal between
shopping errands. The sitting areas are clean, but uninviting and chairs, like in all other fast food stores are not
comfortable to linger for a long time. The owner of the Chinese eatery tried to get attention and distinguish his
business in the mall from the others trough Chinese fans and pictures on the walls and single chairs and tables.
The number of empty spaces in the mall is extremely high, especially for this time of the year short before
Christmas, while at the same time right outside town Wal-Mart is building a huge department store with a
shopping mall attached.
Interpretation
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The shopping mall attracts many people along the South Shore because Bridgewater is the only place to get
services and to shop between Halifax and Yarmouth. The aim of the management is to attract people from lower
and middle incomes. The Chinese eatery is the only place where the customers want to get a fast meal but still
something special while A&W, Tim Hortons and Dairy Queen target any customers who takes their services out
of convenience. The personnel of Sobeys, Zellers and Shoppers Drug Mart wear a uniform, as in all their chain
stores. But even if the employees of other chain shops wear their own clothes, it still doesn‘t make the businesses
look more individual. I think that only the offices, the bank, children‘s toy store, cobbler and Chinese eatery
have permanently employed personnel. All other positions are temporary and the employees have not much
interest in what they are doing. If the answer to my question is not on the label or the box of the product I most
certainly won‘t get it from a sales clerk. The probability, that I will see them in couple of months working at
Wal-Mart is very high. The closed down shops of the mall probably decided to relocate to the new mall or close
down before their businesses take any losses, caused by new competition.
Judgment.
I think that the idea to build a shopping mall in Bridgewater was good for everybody: for the business
community, for the employment situation, for the town and its citizens. The execution of it was extremely poorly
done. Investors, putting such big buildings in the middle of Bridgewater and creating an impact on town
architecture should think not only about profits, but also about their social responsibilities toward the
community. The place, chosen for The Bridgewater mall on the river is surely the best prime land in town, but
the architect didn‘t take advantage of it. In fact, the side facing the river is the back of the building with fireproof
doors. It would be good for a city design if the mall had a large long deck on the LaHave side, so the
management could rent the attached stores to coffee shops, restaurants and maybe some offices. Small lounges
could tempt many owners of the boats on the water to stop there, have a cup of coffee, meal or shop during the
warm months. Interiors with some small touches, such as, for example blue tiles for flooring could make a
connection with the color of the river. A glass roof, maybe of a half circular form would provide a great deal of
light during the day time, bring some elegance and eliminate the feeling of enclosed spaces. I am pretty sure, that
the management of the mall didn‘t build any relationship with its tenants, didn‘t care about attracting expensive,
unusual or interesting businesses. The number of closed down shops is because of management‘s policy in
maintaining the image of low prices and cheap deals, but in this market there is always somebody who comes
along and is lower and cheaper.
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Analysis of an Object from the Weldon Ceramic Collection
King’s College Library
This porcelain inkstand, manufactured by Wedgwood circa
1785-1795 in England, is one of the objects from the Weldon
collection on display at the King‘s College Library. It is made
from fine-grained black stoneware known as Black Basalt,
moulded and unglazed.
The inkstand has four parts: a tray with a vase-shaped quill
penholder, inkwell, sandbox and its lid. The oval-shaped
rimmed tray is sixteen centimeters in length and seven
centimeters in width and has a nine-centimeter high penholder
in the middle. The vase-shaped penholder is the same width as
the tray, but is flattened on two sides. It divides the tray in two
halves into which, behind the rim, the inkwell and sandbox fit
perfectly. The inkwell and sandbox are cylindrical, and are
approximately six centimeters in diameter and four centimeters
in height. The proportions of all objects are wonderfully
balanced against each other and make the parts come together
like matching puzzle pieces. Since the inkstand has only one
purpose, to accommodate the instruments of writing, its scale is
appropriate. The size of a human palm, it could be easily, and
thanks to the rim, securely carried and would not take much space on a table or a small writing desk, common in
the eighteenth century. Probably moulded after precise drawing plans, each object is basic and simple, yet,
together the objects make a sophisticated composition. Symmetry and balance, clean graceful lines, wellthought-out design and compact size -- all these components make the Wedgwood inkstand a proportionally
harmonious ensemble.
In accordance with the dignified harmony of the Neoclassical taste and fashion of the time, the decoration of the
inkstand is minimal. The two cylindrical parts, the inkstand and the sandbox, have on their sides engine-turned
decoration, a relief pattern of vertical stripes; the sandbox lid has a scallop shell in relief; the tray has curved cuts
on both ends of its length; and the penholder, shaped like a Greek or Roman vase, has two curved handles. There
is no other color than the black of the black basalt, and this single color becomes itself an element of the
decoration and would have provided a pleasing contrast to the white or gray colour of the quill feathers, which
would have rested in the penholder. The inkstand shows two of Josiah Wedgwood‘s own inventions: the clay
body called Black Basalt, perfected in 1768, and engine turning, a mechanical etching on dry clay, introduced
about 1760. The relief decoration, though not Wedgwood‘s invention became
closely associated with his name, especially after his discovery of Jasper ware
in 1774.
As an object of everyday use, the inkstand was designed for the utmost
practicality. The Wedgwood & Bentley Catalogue described it from solely this
point and advertised the cone-shaped inkwell ―on account of gradual opening‖
as ―not liable, like the common ones, to soil the Pen and Fingers‖. Another
claim about its practicality was its ability to prevent ink from growing thick
and spoiling. The use of Black Basalt as a medium prevented ink from
corroding or being absorbed by the vessel and made any drops of dark color
less noticeable. Yet accurate design and high quality work made the inkstand a
fine craft object, which could be displayed and, as ambitiously proclaimed in the Catalogue was ―fit to
accompany the finest Work of Art in any part of Europe‖.
Dated between 1785 and 1795, the inkstand, with its clean outlines, symmetry, imitation of Classical objects and
rejection of whimsical Rococo decorations, is a fine example of the Neoclassical style, established in Europe in
1770. The style reflected the renewed interest in older European civilizations and the virtues ascribed to them,
which provided a calming influence in the face of a rapid industrialization. Wedgwood, struggling in the first
years of his career to find the right balance between the Neoclassical form of the objects and their decoration,
brilliantly executed it in this small inkstand, letting material, shape and color speak for themselves. The minimal
decoration gives the impression of the steadfastness and moral uprightness praised by Neoclassical intellectuals.
Following the industrial revolution, the educated middle class, including women, opened a whole new market.
Bookkeeping, business correspondence, and letter writing, a favorite pastime which in itself was considered an
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art form, created the demand for writing supplies. Wedgwood, the potter, inventor, and businessman, developed
his new materials, technologies, and products following and creating this market demand. As an alternative to
traditional inkstands, made from silver and other expensive metals or white porcelain, he responded with the
production of this less expensive, practical, yet very beautiful Black Basalt product. It could indeed be proudly
displayed on a gentleman‘s table or family‘s writing desk, as well as in the same room as David‘s ―The Oath of
the Horatii‖, or between Greek and Roman artifacts, as Wedgwood once declared in his Catalogue.
Works Cited
Kelly, Alison in Association with Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd. The Story of
Wedgwood. London: Faber & Faber, 1975.
Elwood, Marie. The Weldon Collection.
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El Lissitzky— an Agent for Change
―Space is there for man, not man for space,‖ said El Lissitzky in 1923.
Guided by his own words he took his own space in the history of
photography after already leaving his mark in the history of art and design.
The life of El Lissitzky (b. 1980) was closely connected and intertwined
with exiting and tragic events of the twentieth century in Russian and
world history: the First World War, the Soviet Revolution, the Russian
Civil War and mass exodus of Russian citizens abroad, unrest and
upheaval all over Europe, Stalinism in Soviet Union and Fascism in Italy
and Germany, Second World War. These were the political changes, the
echoes of which we still feel today. Lissitzky saw himself as ―an agent for
change,‖ changing art and design and adapting to political changes around
him, and in a personal battle with tuberculosis in the last twenty years of
his life (Arwas 7-21).
After art and design, photography was the last creative frontier for
Lissitzky to conquer. However, it would be false to name him as a great
photographer. He did not photograph wars and historical events as did
Alexander Gardner, or document devastations as did Dorothea Lange; he
did not leave a gallery of portraits or places, nor did he develop any modernist technique. He did not have
formal photographic education and many photos attributed to him were either not made by him or taken by
others at his request. His illness restricted his activities and his photos were taken at ―belly-button level‖, as his
fellow artist Rodchenko called it. Lissitzky could not do complicated set-ups and processes and was compelled
to take simple shots; his models were friends and family or even puppet-mannequins. Political developments in
the USSR restricted his freedom of expression and probably even the freedom to take and publish the images he
wanted.
With the Soviet Union moving toward oppressive one-party rule and later dictatorship, Lissitzky‘s excitement as
an avant-garde painter gave way to his ambitions as a designer and later his photographic activities. The reasons
for this transformation are not always easy to follow; the written documentation is scarce and often biased.
Lissitzky himself contributed to this confusion, as five months before his death, in anticipating art history‘s
impulse to sort his work into ―major‖ and ―minor‖, he manipulated the archive, undermining this type of
classification.
His engagement with photography evolved gradually, but constantly. Lissitzky‘s first photos were made in 192122 as illustrations during his artistic engagement with Prouns. A year later, he created the first fotopis. In his own
words, fotopis was a technique that ―unlike painting ‗paints‘ its image with light directly on a photographic
paper, using, depending on the task, negatives, obtained by means of a camera or through the direct impact of a
light ray, which on its way to photographic paper encounters objects of different transparency and obtains direct
reflection of them‖ (Tupitsyn 26). The word fotopis, created by Lissitzky, is a neologism, based on the Russian
word zhivopis (painting or literally live-writing). In the new interpretation zhivo (live) was changed to foto
giving way to fotopis (photo-writing). Not many of Lissitzky‘s fotopis survive. V Lampe (In the Lamp, 1923) is
a strange image with a dark background and portraits of Lissitzky and a Dutch artist Vilmos Huszar in small
light circles. Hans Arp (1924) depicts two overlapping portraits of the poet: one full frontal and one a fading
profile. Record (1926), later manipulated into photomontage, was made for the Moscow water-sports and yacht
club.
Lissitsky‘s next experiments were photograms, a Western term for photographic image, made by placing objects
directly onto the surface of a photo-sensitive material such as photographic paper and then exposing it to light.
The most famous is the image of Lissitzky‘s hand with a compass (one of his later elements of Self-Portrait).
His Negative-Positive photos consist of compositions of pliers and wire, objects which Lissitzky and his students
used at VKhUTEMAS (the Higher State Artistic-Technical Workshops) where he taught.
Lissitzky‘s interests in these techniques may have originated from Man Ray‘s rayographs from the series
Champs delicieux, found in Lissitzky‘s estate. His further interest in the negative images could have come from
a very unusual source. In 1923 he became sick with tuberculosis and traveled to a Swiss sanatorium. While there
he wrote about the X-ray photos showing spots in his lungs, and remarking that ―the right one looks too much
like a work of art‖ (Tupitsyn 26). This certainly leaves room to speculate that even this medical experience
served the artist as an inspiration. Lissitzky‘s most famous work from this time is Constructor (1924). Made in
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Switzerland as a layout for his book ―Prounen‖, it combines photographic images of the artist and his hand,
holding a compass with his own typographic design in the background.
For the first time his photo work was officially exhibited during the All-Union Printing Trades Exhibition in
1927 for which he also designed the layout of the grounds and pavilions, catalogues, posters and invitation cards.
The exhibition was certainly one of the turning points in Lissitzky‘s career. During preparations and
organization, he befriended many of the USSR leading photographers and became interested in the rhetoric of
the Productivist art movement, represented by Klutzis‘s and Senkin‘s designs.
In his book ―Artist in Production‖ written for the exhibition, Lissitzky, clearly influenced by new developments
in soviet art and politics, Marxist theories of production and the Leninist-Stalinist ideology of the state,
elaborated on the meaning of art and the artist in this new and unprecedented historical time. In his view ―it
became necessary to transfer the experience of working in an individual studio and the experience of working
with easel painting, to the context of the factory and the machine.‖ Painting ―had devolved into a kind of luxury
because it reflected a visible gap between energy that was invested into the painting and the scope of its
function,‖ consequently it was ―increasingly annihilated by the printed page.‖ Drawing on his experience in
design and topography, Lissitzky came to the conclusion that photomontage was ―born and blossomed‖ as a
response to the ―social requirements of our epoch and the artist‘s mastering of the new technology.‖ ―Only in our
country‖, he concluded, ―was it cast into a clear social art form‖ (in Tupitsyn 30). From the moment of this
conclusion about photomontage, it becomes Lissitzky‘s
primary form of expression and an increasingly desperate
means of economic and political survival.
The last decade of Lissitzky‘s life is a complex puzzle of
personal and political issues. In 1927 he married Sophie
Küppers, the widow of a German gallery owner and settled
with her and her two children in a room in a communal
apartment. When their son Jen was born in 1930, the family
moved to a village sixty kilometers outside of Moscow. In
1928 Stalin consolidated his power, his rival Trotsky left the
country, and Bukharin was executed. The first Five Year
Plan, a program of industrialization and forced
collectivization of agriculture, was initiated. In 1932, the
Central Committee of the Communist Party abolished all
artistic associations and established the Union of Soviet Artists. The USSR closed its borders and it become
increasingly difficult for Soviet artists to have a cultural exchange with Western artists. Lissitzky‘s tuberculosis
progressed, but treatment in foreign sanatoriums was no longer an option, and the much-needed money for
expensive medicine, was available only through his work for the state press. Lissitsky was welcomed as a
designer for a leading monthly propaganda magazine, USSR in Construction, published in five languages for
distribution in western countries. As Peter Nisbet states in the Catalogue from Lissitzky‘s selected works:
On one hand, he emotionally linked the future of his own son, […] to the future of the Soviet state. […] On the
other hand, he maintained some independence throughout the years that he was participating in the promotion of
Stalinist Russia. His major works of this kind, for example, were the design layouts for the propaganda journal
USSR in Construction, where he was never a regular employee, but worked in a quasi-freelance status, signing a
new contract for each job. (44,45)
Victor Margolin, in his Struggle for Utopia, adds:
This is particularly important in considering the work of Lissitsky […] during the Stalin years. Just as I don‘t
wish to recognize an oversimplified repressive force that reduced [his] work to obligatory capitulation, neither
do I want to suggest that [he] had an unambiguous positive relation to the Stalinist regime, particularly as
information about its repressive policies and acts of terror surely become known to [him]. (166)
To a certain extent Lissitzky could choose the themes on which he worked, but as a leading artist he was also
entrusted with commemorative issues of the magazine devoted to the Army, the Stalinist Constitution and the
Republic of Georgia, Stalin‘s homeland.
During the first Five Year Plan many issues of USSR in Construction emphasized huge industrial projects.
Construction of the Dniep hydroelectric station, from 1927-1932, was the embodiment of the Soviet Union‘s
technological accomplishments and transformation of nature into dams and power stations. The book Russia in
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the Shadows by Herbert Wells, who visited Russia shortly after the revolution and criticized its economy, had
hurt the national pride. Lenin‘s vision for Russia was ―Communism in Soviet government plus the electrification
of the whole country.‖ The Soviet conquest over nature was the theme of the October 1932 issue of USSR in
Construction. ―Lissitzky conceived the issue as a visual narrative that employed all the devices and techniques of
modern art, typography, and printing technology, including large bold letters, photomontage, strong colors, and
gatefolds‖ (Margolin, 172). His design approach was continuous with the artistic avant-garde publications of the
early ‗20s. The colors for the front and back covers were black, white and red, the same as Lissitzky‘s earlier
books and poster designs. A contrasting sepia tone was chosen to emphasize the visual flow of the photographs
and photo collages. The front cover displayed the nocturnal opening ceremony of the brightly lit station with
airbrushed light beams, highlighting the huge name of the project. The same image is repeated toward the end of
the issue but as a montage with the image of Stalin, crediting him with the realization of Lenin‘s vision. The bold
photomontages of the magazine, the photographs juxtaposed with text and other effective design elements, had a
high rhetorical power. Especially abroad, in foreign language issues, they carried out Maxim Gorky‘s concept of
―romantic realism‖, the simultaneous representation of life as how it is and how it could ideally be. In one
collage depicting two hands turning on the power switch, a red banner with Lenin‘s slogan ―Unite! Dneprostroi
will become a great memorial to the first electrificator in the USSR‖, and the image of the rushing water,
Lissitzky captured the spirit of the translation of the leadership‘s ideology into enormous industrial projects by
heroic workers. Another magazine spread depicted on two opposing pages Wells and Lenin under the title ―A
Conversation Between two worlds‖. But by positioning a photograph of an electric power grid between the two
men and making the photo of Lenin of a larger format, Lissitzky suggested the boundless Soviet potential and
the superiority of Lenin‘s optimism over Wells‘ pessimism. As the story unfolds the next sequence shows Lenin
during his speech at the Eighth Congress of Soviets in 1920 against a background of the map of the Soviet
Union. The site of the future hydro station is circled and a dotted line extends across the page, pointing to the
airbrushed photomontage of the rushing waters to be tamed. ―Here Lissitzky makes the arrow operate
simultaneously as an informational device and metaphor‖(Margolin 175). The final page is a manifesto to the
Soviet masses as the driving forces behind Party efforts. The photo is divided into two parts with the tall power
grid masts, ―that rise like cathedral spires against a background of clouds‖ above and the demonstrating crowd
below (Margolin 180). The banner ―Bolsheviks‖ which runs through the middle of the page symbolizes the
union of the ―human mass with the technological achievements of the regime‖ (Margolin 180).
The photos Lissitzky used were of a simple technique, some of them taken by other photographers to Lissitzky‘s
specifications, but he invented his own style of blended slogans and pathos, information and emotion, which had
an impact on the public at home and abroad, giving ―visual form to the forceful argument made by USSR in
Construction for the superiority of communism‖ (Margolin 180).
The next big issue was devoted to the Soviet Arctic. In it Lissitzky developed a new rhetorical device –
―hyperbole‖ or exaggeration. The Soviet sea captains, explorers and pilots conquering the harshness of nature
exemplified two orders of reality, the ordinary and the extraordinary, characteristic of Stalinist culture in the
1930s.
With time, the magazine and Lissitzky‘s narrative became increasingly ceremonial in portraying historical and
contemporary events. From the narrative style, derived from his avant-garde techniques, Lissitzky moved to a
grander style of ―epic narrative‖. ―This new style was characterized by its historical sweep and the way it held
together large amounts of visual information—notably photographs, photomontages, drawings, paintings, and
maps in a coherent framework. It was also marked by visual devices such as heraldic emblems, banners, and
other regalia which gave dignity or nobility to the theme‖ (Margolin 180). As information about mass arrests and
murders slowly emerged in the west, Lissitzky was commissioned to create photomontages and layouts for
issues devoted to the commemoration of the fifteenth anniversary of Soviet Georgia, homeland of Stalin, and to
Stalin‘s Constitution. In later issues, the Soviet occupation of Poland, West Ukraine and Western Byelorussia
were presented by Lissitzky as an important theme of the national defense against rising Fascism, revising
history and following the official Soviet representation of the events.
When Lissitzky died in 1941, after twenty years of suffering tuberculosis, he left the legacy, common to many
artists of his time: hope in the new world order and imprisonment in the new regime; the struggle for utopia and
the struggle for survival; the creation of heroic and epic narratives in artistic practice and the hard realities of
daily life; fulfillment and disillusionment. Paradoxically, Lissitzky and other artists sought the creation of
credibility for Soviet Union and its people, but their efforts disguised for the world the regime‘s mass murder
and violation of human rights. Lissitzky‘s life and work give enough material to fill a narrative, for which he
himself found a name: ―El Lissitzky-an agent for change‖.
Works Cited
Arwas, Victor. ―The Great Russian Utopia.‖ A&D 1993: 7-21.
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Lissitzky-Küppers, Sophie. El Lissitzky. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1980.
Margolin, Victor. The Struggle for Utopia: Rodchenko, Lissitzky, Maholy-Nagy.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1997.
Nisbet, Peter. ―An Introduction to El Lissitzky.‖ El Lissitzky 1890-1941. Catalogue for
an Exhibition of Selected Works from North American Collections, the Sprengel
Museum Hannover and the
Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle. Ed. Nisbet Peter. Harvard: Harvard University Art Museum, 1987.
Tupitsyn, Margarita. El Lissitzky. Beyond the Abstract Cabinet: Photography, Design, Collaboration. New
Haven: Yale University Press, 1999.
Links
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
El Lissitzky at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum of Modern Art
National Galleries of Scotland
El Lissitzky at the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Canada
Berlinische Galerie
Cleveland Museum of Art
Harvard University Art Museum
Museum Ludwig
Museum of Modern Art
Norton Simon Museum
Tate Gallery
Van Abbemuseum
16
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GOLD-REBELLOG eröffnet
Nach all den Katastrophen die die Welt des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts erlebt hat,
kommt jetzt eine Neue auf uns zu. Aber diesmal gibt es einen Unterschied. Noch
nie war eine Katastrophe so einfach vorherzusagen und noch nie haben Politiker,
Prominente und Massenmedien so hinterhältig geschwiegen wie diesmal. Diese
kommende Katastrophe wird jedes Land und jeden Bürger betreffen, allerdings
werden die meisten Menschen erst im letzten Moment das Geschehen begreifen. Die
folgenden Generationen werden staunen und ungläubig zurückschauen und sich fragen wie es dazu kommen
konnte, wie naiv die Menschen waren auf diese Katastrophe zuzusteuern. Dieses Desaster wird in die
Geschichtsbücher unter dem Titel „Der Kollaps des Dollars und der Papierwährungen“ eingehen. Die
Kapitel dieses Buches wird man nach den Ereignissen, die dazu führten benennen:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Die Geschichte des Geldes und die Entstehung des Papiergeldes.
Gründung der Zentralbanken and Zerstörung des Goldstandards.
Geburt des Dollarstandards.
Kollaps des Dollarstandards.
Weltweite Wirtschaftskrise, oder die Große Depression,
Kollaps der westlichen Sozialstaaten.
Währungsreform, Rückkehr zum Goldstandard.
Wir, auf Rebellog, sind keine Hellseher and Propheten. Wir halten uns für realistisch und für besorgte
Weltbürger. Aus diesem Grund, und besonders weil wir Kinder haben, möchten wir jetzt einen Beitrag leisten
und für die Generation nach uns einige Aspekte und Absätze für diese Kapitel zusammentragen. Wer von
unseren Mitbürgern, Freunden und Lesern sich informieren möchte und sich ein wenig auf den kommenden Gau
vorbereiten will, der ist herzlich auf dieser Seite willkommen.
Wir sind keine Volkswirtschaftler mit einem offiziellem Diplom, das uns die Autorität verleiht uns
wissenschaftlich zu äußern. Aus diesem Grund möchten wir oft auf Artikel verweisen die schon von anderen
Fachleuten und Interessierten zu diesem Thema geschrieben wurden. Allerdings, im Unterschied zu vielen
westlichen Ökonomen, habe ich, als Bürger der Sowjetunion, den Kollaps eines Staates selbst erlebt, und die
darauf folgenden wirtschaftlichen and gesellschaftlichen Desaster. Diese Erfahrung ist es, die uns antreibt auf
Rebellog unseren Lesern die Augen zu öffnen, Anstöße zu geben, sich zu informieren und auch einige
praktische Ratschläge zu geben.
Wir, Rebelloger sind keine Pessimisten. Der kommende Gau wurde seit hundert Jahren von den Politikern aller
Richtungen, manchmal unwissentlich, überwiegend aber bewusst, vorbereitet. Wenn der Kollaps eintritt und
unter dem Eindruck dieser Ereignisse niemand von den Entscheidungsträgern durchdreht und „den falschen
Knopf― drückt, dann wird die Menschheit weiter existieren, sich eine neue Zukunft aufbauen können, dann
vielleicht ohne die Mehrheit dieser Schwindler und Verbrecher die für diesén Kollaps verantwortlich
zeichnen.
Der Schweizer Bankier Ferdinand Lips hat die Gründung der Zentralbanken, und insbesondere die Gründung
der Federal Reserve (US Zentralbank) im Jahr 1913/14, als das größte Unglück in der Menschheitsgeschichte
und als einen Krieg gegen das Gold bezeichnet. Dieser Kampf interessierter Kreise gegen die Ersparnisse und
die Früchte der Arbeit aller Bürger und die Folgen wird die Dimensionen eines 3. Weltkrieges haben. Wir
stimmen ihm zu. Wir sind ebenfalls der fester Überzeugung, daß alle Tragödien und Katastrophen des
zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts nur auf das Papiergeld zurückzuführen sind. Das Papiergeld hat den Ersten
Weltkrieg, den Zweiten Weltkrieg und alle darauffolgende Kriege finanziert. Alle Diktaturen des Zwanzigsten
Jahrhundert konnten nur mit Papiergeld errichtet und finanziert werden. Papiergeld ist die Basis der Macht der
Bürokratie und ermöglicht alle leeren Versprechungen unserer Politiker und die hefeartige Ausweitung des
Sozialstaates. Wenn der geneigte Leser sich umschaut und sich über Fehlentwicklungen wundert, das, was in
seinem Land und in den Nachbarländern, ja weltweit geschieht, so können wir ihm bereits jetzt einen ein Teil der
Antwort geben: Es ist der Fluch des Papiergeldes, es hat unser Bewußtsein, die Weltwirtschaft und die Politik
vergiftet.
Es gibt ausreichend Literatur, Bücher kompetenter und engagierter Zeitgenossen. Es gibt im Internet zahllose
Artikel, die die Interessierten über die Zusammenhänge und die zu erwartende Wirtschaftskrise informieren.
Raffen Sie sich auf und lesen sie fach- und themenbezogen. Die meisten Bücher und Artikel sind in englischer
17
Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Sprache. Wir werden auf Gold-Rebellog künftig regelmäßig zu diesen Fachartikeln verlinken und wichtige
Bücher empfehlen. In den Mainstreammedien werden diese Themen bewusst gemieden. Das hat verschiedene
Ursachen: Einerseits sind die entsprechenden Redakteure die „Klassenkameraden― der Regierenden.
Andererseits ist es im keynesianischen Zeitalter nicht opportun sich mit unkonventionellen, dieser Lehre
widersprechenden, Themen zu befassen. Und dann fehlt, nach 2 Generationen zeitgeist-beeinflusster Journaille,
einfach das entsprechende Fachwissen. Auch unsere Banker und Ökonomen haben ganz überwiegend seit
Jahrzehnten nichts mehr zu diesem Themenkomplex gehört weil er bewusst nicht unterrichtet wird.
Wir eröffnen heute eine weitere Subpage www.gold.rebellog.com . Im russischen Sprachraum gibt es
überhaupt keine Informationen zum Thema. Deshalb werden wir das Wichtigste in die russische Sprache
übersetzen. Gelegentlich, wenn es unsere Zeit erlaubt auch markante Informationen ins Deutsche.
Für den deutschsprachigen Raum die wichtigste Seite ist
http://www.goldseiten.de/
In englisher Sprache.
http://www.financialsense.com/
http://www.gold-eagle.com/
http://www.dailyreckoning.com/
Als „Vorkost― …
Deutsch
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/102506E.shtml
http://www.goldseiten.de/content/kolumnen/artikel.php?storyid=181
English
http://www.dailyreckoning.com/rpt/USConsumerSpending.html
http://www.kitco.com/ind/maundn/jun012006.html
http://www.gata.org/node/4456
Bücher (siehe auch unsere Bande -rechts- und Buchempfehlungen)
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Collapse-Dollar-How-Profit/dp/0385512236/sr=81/qid=1162378031/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3051278-2304103?ie=UTF8&s=books
http://www.amazon.com/Dollar-Crisis-Consequences-Revised-Updated/dp/0470821701/sr=82/qid=1162378085/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-3051278-2304103?ie=UTF8&s=books
18
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Золотой Rebellog
После всех катастроф испытанных миром в двадцатом столетии, новая
подбирается к нам. Но на этот раз имеется различие. Никогда еще не было
возможно предсказать катастрофу так просто и никогда еще политики, видные
деятели и средства массовой информации молчали так трусливо как на этот
раз. Эта наступающая катастрофа коснется каждой страны и каждого человека.
Большинство людей поймѐт только в последний момент развитие событий.
Следующие поколения будут удивятся и недоверчиво оглядываясь назад будут спрашивать себя: как это
могло случиться, с какой наивностью приближались люди к этой катастрофе. Эта катастрофа войдѐт в
учебники по истории под заголовком Коллапс доллара и бумажных валют. Главы этой книги назовут
по событиям, которые к этому вели:
1. История денег и изобретение бумажных денег.
2. Основание центральных банков и разрушение золотого стандарта.
3. Рождение долларова стандарта.
4. Коллапс долларова стандарта.
5. Всемирный экономический кризис, или Величайшая депрессия.
6. Коллапс западных социальных государств.
Мы, команда Rebellog, не являемся никакими ясновидцами или пророками. Мы считаем себя за
реалистов и обеспокоенных граждан мира. По этой причине, и особенно так как мы имеем детей, мы
хотели бы выполнить свою долю и собирать на нашей страничке информацию и статьи для
последующих поколений. Тот из наших сограждан, друзей и читателей, кто хотел бы осведомляться и
подготовиться немного к наступающей опастности, тот сердечно пришѐн на нашу страничку.
Мы не являемся экономистами с официальными дипломами, какие предоставили бы нам авторитет
выражать научное мнение. По этой причине мы просто хотели бы рекомендовать статьи написанные
другими специалистами и людими заинтересованными в этой теме. Правда, в отличие от многих
западных экономистов, я, как гражданка бывшего Советского Союза, пережила коллапс государства, и
последующий экономическую and общественную катастрофы. Это этот опыт, подталкивает нас на
Rebellog открыть глаза нашим читателям, дать возможность себя проинформироват, а также дать
несколько практических советов.
Мы, Rebelloger не являемся пессимистами. Наступающий крах подготавливается уже 100 лет политиками
всех направлений, иногда неумышленно, преимущественно, однако, осознанно. Когда коллапс
произойдѐт и под впечатлением этих событий никто из политиков не нажмѐт на кнопку, то
человечество и дальше будет существовать, сстроить новое будущее, вероятно, без большинства этих
мошенников и преступников которые ответственны за предстоящий коллапс.
Швейцарский банкир Фердинанд Липс обозначил основание центральных банков, и, в частности,
основание Federal Reserve (центральный банк США) в 1913/14 году, самой большой трагедией в истории
человечества и войной против золота. Эта борьба заинтересованных кругов против сбережений и плодов
работы всех граждан в последовательности будет иметь размеры 3 мировой войны. Мы согласны с ним.
Мы также твердо убеждены, что все трагедии и катастрофы двадцатого столетия приписываются
только бумажным деньгам. Бумажные деньги финансировали Первую мировую войну, Вторую мировую
войну и все следующие войны. Все диктатуры Двадцатого столетия могли существовать и
финансироваться только бумажными деньгами. Бумажные деньги - это основа власти бюрократии. Они
делают возможными все пустые обещания наших политиков и подобное дрожжевуму тесту расширение
социального государства. Если наш читатель оглядывается и удивляется ненормальным развитиям,
которые, происходит в его стране, в соседних странах, и во всем мире, то мы можем дать ему уже сейчас
одину часть ответа: это проклятие бумажной деньги. Они отравляют наше сознание, мировую экономику
и политику.
Имеется достаточная литература, книги компетентных современников. Имеются в интернете
бесчисленные статьи, которые информируют заинтересованных об ожидающемся экономическом
кризисе. Наибольшие книги и статьи являются на английском языке. В будущем мы на Gold-Rebellog
будем регулярно рекомендовать эти статьи и важные книги. В средствах массовой информации эти темы
осознанно избегаются. Это имеет различные причины: с одной стороны, соответствующие редакторы это "одноклассники" правящих. С другой стороны, в нащем веке, созданным Лордом Кейнзом не модно
заниматься противоречущими ему учениями. А также, после 2 поколений просто нет специалистов со
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знаниями. Наши банкиры и экономисты в течение последних десятилетий этой темой не занимались и
осознанно она не преподаѐтся в университетах.
Сегодня мы открываем новую под страничку www.gold.rebellog.com. В русском интернете мало
сведений по этой теме. Поэтому мы переведем самое важное на русский язык. При случае, если наше
время позволит мы все важные сведения переведѐм и на немецкий язык.
Для немецкоязычного интернета самым важным сайтом является:
Для немецкоязычного интернета самым важным сайтом является:
http://www.goldseiten.de/
На английском языке.
http://www.financialsense.com/
http://www.gold-eagle.com/
http://www.dailyreckoning.com/
Из за хронического недастатка времени для перевода мы пользуемся интернетовским переводчиком. Изза этого предложения иногда получаются смешными, может даже не особо понятными. Но мы надеемся,
что в основном наш читатель разберѐтся что к чему.
На русском языке
http://www.assessor.ru/cgi-bin/ib31/ikonboard.cgi?s=435a1cb295b2ef434bb8a35d8e157950;act=ST;f=7;t=201
http://piterned.ru/articles/other/economy/zakat_dollara.htm
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Уроки истори
«Если я попробую найти удобную формулу, для времени перед
Первой Мировой войной, в которое я вырос, то я надеюсь, что будет
четче всего говорить: это был золотой век надежности. Все в нашей
почти тысячелетней австрийской монархии казалось основанным на
длительный срок и само государство-высший гарант этой прочности.
(...) Наша валюта, австрийская крона, была в чистых золотых
монетах и гарантировала вместе с тем ее неизменность. Каждый
знал, скольким он владел или сколько ему было доходов, что было
позволено и что было запрещено. Все имело норму, определенную
меру и вес. Тот, кто владел имуществом, мог точно рассчитывать,
сколько в процентах оно ему ежегодно приносило, служащий,
офицер мог найти в календаре год, в котором он бы авансировал и в
котором он ушел бы на пенсию. Каждая семья имела определенный
бюджет, она знала, сколько она должна была расходовать для
жительства и еды, для летней поездки и представлений (...). Тот, кто
владел домом, рассматривал его в качестве уверенного жилища для
детей и внуков, двор и дело переходил по наследству; в то время как
грудной ребенок лежал в колыбели, ему уже готовили первую лепту
в жизненный путь, маленький резерв для будущего в копилке или
сберегательной кассе. Все являлось прочным в этой далекой империи и незыблемо на своих местах и на
наивысшем—сам преклонных лет император; однако, если бы он умер, то все знали (...), что другой
взошел бы на его место и ничто не изменилось бы в хорошо-рассчитанном порядке. Никто не верил в
войны, в революции и свержения. Все радикальное, все насильственное было немыслимо в век разума.
Это чувство надежности было самым желанным владением миллионов, общий жизненный идеал. [...] Всѐ
дальнии круги общества жаждали участия в этом идеале. Сначала только имущие наслаждались этим
преимуществом, однако постепенно, широкие массы включались в этот процесс; столетие надежности
стало золотым веком страхования. Дом страховался против огня и вторжения, поля против града и
других ненастий, тело против аварии и болезни.»
Так звучат воспоминания австрийского писателя Стефана Цвейга в книге «Вчерашний мир». Несомненно
этот вчерашний мир был не идеален, но всѐ же какая разница с тем что пришло ему на смену!
«Какое дикое, беспорядочное, невероятное время, те годы, когда с исчезающей стоимостью денег все
другие стоимости в Австрии и Германии пошли под скоз! Эпоха восторженного экстаза и
беспорядочного обмана, неповторимая смесь нетерпения и фанатизма. Все, что было экстравагантно и
неконтролируемо, испытало золотое время: теозофия, оккультизм, спиритуализм, бессонница,
антропософия, гадание по рукам, графология, индийские учения йоги и мистицизм Парацельзия. Все
крайние возбуждения обещающие ещѐ большее чем до сих пор известные, каждая форма наркотика,
морфия, кокаина и героина, находила бурный рынок, в пьесах царили инцест и отцеубийство, в политике
коммунизм или фашизм—единственная желательная крайняя тематика; против этого где-то отдаленно
существовала каждая форма нормальности и
умеренности.»
Если читателю Rebellog вчерашний мир Цвейга не
знаком, то послевоенный мир Австрии и Германии,
описанный им, окружает нас в большей или меньшей
степени. Для русского читателя это описание точно
отражает состояние страны. Даже развал Советского
Союза не ударил так больно по психике людей как
инфляция и пропажа всех сбережений. Для немецкого
читателя это описание в несколько меньшей степени
напоминает странности и извращения современного
мира. Всѐ зависит от того как быстро, по выражению Цвейга исчезает стоимость денег.
Почѐтное место в нашей большой коммнате занимает мишка, простая детская игрушка. Примечателен
этот мишка только тем, что он был куплен за пару миллионов марок в разгар немецкой гиперинфляции.
Куплен не для потехи, а для того чтобы дневной заработок не пропал.
Может наш мишка был обменян на эту бумажку—сто миллионов марок. Звучит не плохо, как будто бы
много. Весь вопрос только чего? Ведь мишка он мишкой и остался. Хоть марку, хоть сто миллионов за
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него заплати. Весь вопрос не в том сколько этот мишка стоит, а сколько чего-то другого на него можно
обменять. Мишку на куклу, или на платье, или на тарелку макарон.
Тогда, когда ценность бумажных денег возвращаются к их настоящей ценности—нулю, тогда люди
возвращаются к первоначальной системе обмена—бартеру.
Тысячелетиями люди жили и работали и обменивили излишки продукции на что-то другое: рыбу на
мясо, ягоды на зерно, горшки на ткани. Этот обмен всегда упирался в неудобства. Тот у кого было мясо
не хотел обменять его на рыбу, а тот у кого было зерно не хотел менять его на предлагаемое мясо. Ищя
выход из этого неудобства при натуральном обмене, все участники этой системы (рынка) начали искать
ту вещь, какая была бы признана всеми как самая желаемая вещь которой можно было бы владеть и
которая была бы просто принята всеми в обмен на всѐ. Эта вещь была бы удобным посредническим
шагом при обмене. В разные времена и в разных обществах этим средством обмена служили такие вещи
как соль, ракушки, спрессованные чаиные листы, но в конечном итоге после проб, ошибок и сортировки
рынок и его участники выбрали универсальное средство обмена—золото и серебро, особенно золото.
Почему? Вот какие качества присущие деньгам и золоту описывал не кто иной как Аристотель в IVвеке
до н.э. Судите сами.
Оно не портится.
Оно не ржавеет, не испаряется, не преснеет, не
гниѐт, даже кислота его не портит. Золотые монеты
и украшения пролежав века з земле или под водой
не теряют ни своего блеска, на своей красоты, они
такие же как и были тысячелетия до нас.
Его удобно делить.
Золото не теряет своих свойств или ценности с любом состоянии, что в грамах, что в слитках. Диамант
например, ценится только по размеру. Расколи его и ценность отдельных частей диаманта не будет равна
ценности исходного камня.
Оно легко транспортируемо.
Золото очень легко по сравнению с другими металлами. Его удобно переносить (из кармана в карман
или из города в город).
Оно постоянно.
Чистое золото (24 карата) постоянный химический элемент.
У него есть настоящая ценность.
Не зависимо от того что из золота можно много чего изготавливать и использовать как промышленный
металл, в трудный момент любой человек быстренько сообразит сколько да чего он может обменять на
золотые часы или серебрянные ложки на рынке.
Ещѐ более весомое качество золота, то что его сравнительно мало. Всѐ золото добытое за историю
человечества составляет 20 куб. метров и добывается то оно трудно, увеличиваясь в количестве только
на 1% в год. А самое главное оно никому не принадлежит. Оно в отлиичии от бумажных денег не
печатается правителями. То что мы современные люди, считающие себя наиумнейшими, умеющими
читать и писать носим в кощельках красивые листочки бумаги с витиеватыми знаками и меняем на них
настоящие продукты, принимаем как плату за настоящую работу и думаем об этих бумажках как
средства обмена и ещѐ важнее как долговременное хранилище ценностей говорит многое о том, в какой
тупик зашла наша цивилизация. Умнейшие люди покрутят у виска пальцем если им предложат в оплату
бумажку в сто миллионов немецких марок 1923 года, а в следующий момент возьмут в оплату не менее
красивые бумажки современных правительств. А ведь у этих бумажек одна и таже ценность. Два цента
стоит печатание американского доллара с любой номинальной ценой, будь то доллар, будь то сто
миллионов долларов.
История денег и золота это история культур, стран и цивилизаций. Это история небывалого улудшения
жизненного уровня, так как только система денег позволила установить систему плодотворного
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разделения труда. Но это и история жадных и эгоистичных правителей, которые с самого начала
пытались подчинить деньги своему влиянию, изъять, своровать, подрезать углы, разбавить дешѐвым
металлом.
Великая Римская империя просто напросто обанкротилась. Войны оплачивались всѐ более дешѐвыми
деньгами, последние императоры отчеканивали свои профили на бронзовых монетах.
Византийская империя существовала пока она имела надѐжные золотые монеты, когда Алексис I занялся
разбавлением залотого состава, тогда и империя пошла в упадок.
Средние века в Европе отличались проблематичной денежной системой.
Итальянские города-республики начали чеканить золотые монеты, что привело к возрождению
коммерции и БУМ! Ренессансу.
Испанцы ограбили американских земли, приверли
несметные количества золота и особенно серебра
в Европу, радуясь богатствам и лѐгким деньгам,
что бы выучить урок, что лѐгких денег не бывает.
Испания пережила инфляцию, которая всегда
сопутствует увеличению денег в обороте. А когда
деньги ушли в другие страны то испанцы
обнаружили, что в те годы когда они могли
позволить купить всѐ продукты со всего света их
отечественные
производители
либо
обанкротились,
либо
просто
прекратили
продукцию, так как у них появились деньги без работы. Остальная история Испании известна. Французы
говорят: Африка начинается за Пиренеями.
Первые бумажные деньги были в ходу в Китае. Достаток общества был описан Марко Поло. К
сожалению он отбыл до катастрофы, когда ценность бумажных денег сошла на нуль.
Европа начала XVIII века была потрясена экспериментом бумажных денег во Франции под
руководством банкира Джона Лоу. Гѐте писал об этом в «Фаусте» и Вольтер сказал знаменитую фразу:
«В конечном итоге бумажные деньги возвращаются к присущей им ценности—нулю».
Никто иной как сам Исаак Ньютон стал основоположником знаменитого золотого стандарта. Для
удобства развивающейся коммерции и индустриализации золото хранилось в банках а в обороте были
бумажные купюры соответствующие количеству золота. Ньютон сам преследовал фальшивомонетчиков
и требовал строгого соблюдения дисциплины от банкиров. Позже система золотого стандарта была
перенята всеми европейскими странами. Денежная дисциплина привела к развитию вчерашнего мира
описанного Стефаном Цвейгом
Один рубль 1898 года
« Государственный Банк разменивает кредитные билеты на золотую монету без ограничения ... содержит
17, 424 долей чистого золота»
Вот он в чѐм смысл бумажного рубля!! С ним можно было пойти в банк и получить настоящий золотой
рубль! А сегодня один бумажный рубль в банке просто обменяют на другой.
Нет, история денег не простая, не легкая, не особо то счастливая и не особо мирная. И золото и серебро
не идеальные системы. Их ценность в свою очередь тоже зависит от веры в них. Но история показала,
что до сих пор, ни одна долговременная денежная система не существовала без золота, ни в какую
систему люди не вкладывали своѐ доверие больше чем в ту, которая стояла на золотом фундаменте.
Золото и серебро может не идеальны, но в конце дня рабочий человек мог зажать в кулаке что-то
настоящее, осязаемое, что можно сохранить на веки и передать потомкам. Не смотря на то какий вид
примут монеты через века после нас, золотые сегодняшние монеты как и монеты древней Греции,
Римской империи, как и золото инка и Африки можно будет расплавить, отчеканить по новому и снова
пустить в кругооборот. В отличии от цветных кусочков бумаги, которые всегда через всю историю
становились бесценными.
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Р.S. После второй мировой войны объѐм товаров увеличился в четыре раза, финансы в сорок раз.
Вспомним Испанию. Рынок всегда приведѐт все в баланс. Либо цены на вещи увеличатся
соответственно, либо что-то случится с этим морем денег, кредитов и финансовых бумаг.
Две хорошие статьи, к сожалению у них только один ответ: бумажный рубль.
ГРЯДЕТ ФИНАНСОВАЯ КАТАСТРОФА
ГРЯДЕТ ФИНАНСОВАЯ КАТАСТРОФА
http://www.gazetanv.ru/article/?id=364
ДОЛЛАР ЛЕТИТ В ПРОПАСТЬ
http://www.gazetanv.ru/archive/article/?id=363
Джон Лоу
http://www.fxmoney.ru/archive/28/19.php
Рубль
http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/countries/russia_regular.htm
http://www.worldcoincatalog.com/Index/R.htm
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Aus der Geschichte lernen
Wenn ich versuche, für die Zeit vor dem Ersten Weltkriege, in der ich
aufgewachsen bin, eine handliche Formel zu finden, so hoffe ich am
prägnantesten zu sein, wenn ich sage: es war das goldene Zeitalter der
Sicherheit. Alles in unserer fast tausendjährigen österreichischen
Monarchie schien auf Dauer gegründet und der Staat selbst der oberste
Garant dieser Beständigkeit. (...) Unsere Währung, die österreichischen
Krone, lief in blanken Goldstücken und verbürgte damit ihre
Unwandelbarkeit. Jeder wußte, wie viel er besaß oder wie viel ihm zukam,
was erlaubt und was verboten war. Alles hatte seine Norm, sein
bestimmtes Maß und Gewicht. Wer ein Vermögen besaß, konnte genau
errechnen, wie viel an Zinsen es alljährlich zubrachte, der Beamte, der
Offizier wiederum fand im Kalender verläßlich das Jahr, in dem er
avancieren werde und in dem er in Pension gehen würde. Jede Familie
hatte ihr bestimmtes Budget, sie wußte, wie viel sie zu verbrauchen hatte
für Wohnen und Essen, für Sommerreise und Repräsentation (...). Wer ein
Haus besaß, betrachtete es als sichere Heimstatt für Kinder und Enkel,
Hof und Geschäft vererbte sich von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht; während
ein Säugling noch in der Wiege lag, legte man in der Sparbüchse oder der
Sparkasse bereits einen ersten Obolus für den Lebensweg zurecht, eine kleine Reserve für die Zukunft. Alles
stand in diesem weiten Reiche fest und unverrückbar an seiner Stelle und an der höchsten der greise Kaiser; aber
sollte er sterben, so wußte man (...), würde ein anderer kommen und nichts sich ändern in der wohlberechneten
Ordnung. Niemand glaubte an Kriege, an Revolutionen und Umstürze. Alles Radikale, alles Gewaltsame schien
bereits unmöglich in einem Zeitalter der Vernunft. Dieses Gefühl der Sicherheit war der erstrebenswerteste
Besitz von Millionen, das gemeinsame Lebensideal. [...] Immer weitere Kreise begehrten ihren Teil an diesem
kostbaren Gut. Erst waren es nur die Besitzenden, die sich dieses Vorzugs erfreuten, allmählich aber drängten
die breiten Massen heran; das Jahrhundert der Sicherheit wurde das goldene Zeitalter des Versicherungswesens.
Man assekurierte sein Haus gegen Feuer und Einbruch, sein Feld gegen Hagel und Wetterschaden, seinen Körper
gegen Unfall und Krankheit.
So weit die Erinnerungen des österreichischen Schriftstellers Stefan Zweig in seinem Buch « Die Welt von
Gestern». Gewiß diese gestrige Welt war nicht ideal, aber doch ein großer Unterschied zu dem was danach kam!
Welch eine wilde, anarchische, unwahrscheinliche Zeit, jene Jahre, da mit dem schwindenden Wert des Geldes
alle andern Werte in Österreich und Deutschland ins Rutschen kamen! Eine Epoche begeisterter Ekstase und
wüster Schwindelei, eine einmalige Mischung von Ungeduld und Fanatismus. Alles, was extravagant und
unkontrollierbar war, erlebte goldene Zeiten: Theosophie, Okkultismus, Spiritismus, Somnambulismus,
Anthroposophie, Handleserei, Graphologie, indische Yoghilehren und paracelsischer Mystizismus. Alles, was
äußerste Spannungen über die bisher bekannten hinausversprach, jede Form des Rauschgifts, Morphium, Kokain
und Heroin, fand reißenden Absatz, in den Theaterstücken bildeten Inzest und Vatermord, in der Politik
Kommunismus oder Faschismus die einzig erwünschte extreme Thematik; unbedingt verfemt hingegen war jede
Form der Normalität und der Mäßigung.
Wenn uns die vergangene Welt die Zweig beschreibt auch persönlich nicht bekannt ist, so haben doch,
zumindest die Älteren Erinnerungen an die Situation in Österreich und Deutschland nach dem Kriege. Für den
russischen Leser ist die Situation wiedererkennbar. Sie ist ein Spiegel der heutigen Verhältnisse.
Der Untergang der Sowjet Union wurde von den Menschen nicht so schmerzhaft erlebt wie die Inflation und der
Verlust aller Ersparnisse. Es war ein Schlag der die Leute tief in ihrer Psyche traf und bis heute anhält. Der
deutsche Leser erkennt in diese Beschreibung die Seltsamkeiten und die Verdrehungen der modernen Welt wie
Deutschland sie erlebt hat. Alle hat mit dem Schwinden der Werte zu tun wie Zweig es beschrieben hat.
Den ehrenvollsten Platz in unserem Hause hat ein Teddybär inne, ein einfacher Spielzeugteddybär. Er ist deshalb
bemerkenswert, weil er, auf dem Höhepunkt der Hyperinflation, vom Großvater meines Mannes für seinen
Tageslohn gekauft wurde. Die Entscheidung ihn zukaufen musste schnell gefällt werden, anderes gab es an
diesem Tage nicht mehr und am nächsten wäre die Millionen nichts mehr wert gewesen.
Vielleicht wurde unser Bär gegen diesen Schein umgetauscht. 100 Millionen Mark. Das klingt beeindruckend
und es hört sich an, als ob es viel ist. Die Frage bleibt, wie viel und wovon? Er ist ein Teddybär und er bleibt ein
Teddybär. Egal, ob ich 1 Mark oder 100 Millionen für ihn bezahle. Es ist also nicht die Frage wie viel er kostet,
sondern wofür ich ihn eintauschen kann. Kann ich den Bären gegen eine Puppe tauschen, oder gegen ein Kleid
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
oder gegen einen Teller Spaghetti? Wenn der Wert des Geldscheines, also des Papiergeldes, des bedruckten
Papieres gegen Null sinkt, dann kehren die Leute zum Tauschgeschäft zurück. Weil ihnen der Gegenwert des
Ertauschten wertvoller erscheint, als der Wert bedruckten Papieres.
Jahrtausende lebten und arbeiteten die Menschen. Einen Teil der erarbeiteten Werte tauschten die Leute als
Überschüsse ihrer Produktion gegen etwas anderes ein: Fisch gegen Fleisch, Beeren gegen Korn, Töpfe gegen
Stoff. Dieser Tauschhandel war natürlich unbequem. Der, der Fleisch hatte, wollte es nicht gegen Fisch
eintauschen, und der Besitzer von Korn war an dem angebotene Fleisch uninteressiert. Um dies
Unbequemlichkeit zu beenden suchte man nach einem Ersatz. Nach einem Wert, der von allen Marktteilnehmern
anerkannt würde, den jeder gern besitzen würde und der von allen beim Umtausch gegen Waren akzeptiert
werden würde. Man fand solche wertbeständigen und allgemein akzeptierten Werte. Sie variierten je nach Zeiten
und Regionen. Salz, Muscheln, Teeblätter sind Beispiele. Aber am beständigsten, am begehrtesten und
grundsätzlich akzeptiert wurden Silber und Gold. Gold hatte natürlich den höheren Rang, denn es war und ist
wie folgt beschaffen:
1. Es verdirbt nicht. Es verrostet nicht, verdampft nicht, verfault nicht, es wird von Säure nicht beschädigt.
Goldene Münzen und Schmuck verlieren selbst nach nach Jahrhunderten unter der Erde oder unter Wasser nicht
seinen Glanz oder Schönheit, sie sind genau so wie tausend Jahre zuvor.
2. Es ist bequem zu teilen. Gold verliert nicht seine Eigenschaften oder seinen Wert. Es ist egal ob es
grammweise oder in größeren Einheiten gehandelt wird. Diamanten, auch ein begehrter Wert, kann man nicht
beliebig teilen, seine Beurteilungskriterien sind komplizierter und der Wert einzelner teile ist nicht gleich dem
Wert des Ausgangssteines.
3. Es ist leicht zu transportieren. Gold ist im Vergleich zu anderen Metallen sehr leicht. Es kann, in kleinen
Mengen, bequem in einer Tasche mitgenommen werden.
4. Es beständig. Reingold (24 Karat) ist chemisches Element.
5. Es hat einen physischen Wert, d.h. es ist vorhanden.
So beschrieb im 4. Jahrhundert vor Christus bereits Aristoteles die Qualitäten von Gold. Und natürlich kann man
aus Gold, als industriellem Metall sehr viel herstellen. Waren es früher goldene Uhren oder silberne Löffel, sind
die Anwendungsgebiete wesentlich breiter gefächert: Medizin, Computertechnik etc. Aber wichtiger noch als die
Qualität des Goldes ist seine Quantität. Da es schwer zu fördern ist, nimmt die jährliche Goldmenge lediglich um
1 Prozent zu. Alles, jemals in der Geschichte der Menschheit geförderte Gold sind nicht mehr als 20
Kubikmeter.
Gold kann im Unterschied zu Papiergeld von Herrschern nicht „gedruckt―, also beliebig vermehrt werden. Wir
halten uns heute für sehr schlau, wir sind modern , wir können lesen und schreiben und wir tragen Brieftaschen
mit schönem bedruckten Papier. Wir tauschen dieses Papier gegen reale Produkte, wir nehmen sie entgegen als
Lohn für unsere erbrachte Arbeit, wir tauschen diese Papierchen gegeneinander, wenn wir auf die Idee kommen
sie etwa nachzumachen kommen wir in den Knast, und wir legen sie aufeinander um sie zu sammeln, also zu
sparen. Ist das Fortschritt, oder verrät es nicht vielmehr, in welcher Sackgasse unsere Zivilisation angekommen
ist?
Jeder einigermassen Kluge würde sich an die Stirn tippen
wenn man ihm für seine Arbeit Papierchen in der Höhe von
100 Millionen Mark anbieten würde, wären die Scheine aus
dem Jahre 1923. Er würde natürlich zu den 1000 Euro
heutiger Regierungen greifen. Dabei haben beide bedruckten
Papierschnipsel denselben tatsächlichen Wert, etwa 2 Cent.
Zwei Cent kostet der Druck des amerikanischen Dollars mit
einem beliebigen Nominalpreis, sei es 1 Dollar, seien es 100
Millionen Dollar.
Die Geschichte des Geldes und des Goldes ist die Geschichte der Kulturen, der Länder und der Zivilisationen. Es
ist die Geschichte verbesserten Lebensstandards, da nur das System des Geldes erlaubt hat, das System der
Arbeitsteilung einzuführen. Aber es ist auch die Geschichte geiziger und egoistischer Herrscher, die von Anfang
an versuchten, das Geld ihrem Einfluss zu unterstellen, zu stehlen, zu expropriieren, die Ecken der Münzen zu
beschneiden, oder es mit billigerem Metall zu verdünnen.
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Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Das großes Römisches Reich ist einfach Bankrott gegangen. Die Kriege wurden mit immer mehr billigerem, also
entwertetem Geld bezahlt, die letzten Kaiser prägten ihre Profile auf Bronzemünzen.
Das Byzantinische Imperium existierte so lange als es sichere goldenen Münzen hatte, aber als Alexis I begann
des Goldes Inhalt zu verdünnen war auch diesem Imperium dem Verfall preisgegeben.
Auch das Mittelalter in Europa hatte ein
problematisches geldliches
System.
Erst die
italienischen Stadt - Republiken begannen goldene
Münzen zu prägen, was die Wiedergeburt des Handels
und der Renaissance einen Boom bescherte.
Die Spanier plünderten den amerikanischen Kontinent,
schafften unvorstellbare Mengen Goldes und besonders
Silbers nach Europa, in Freude über diese Reichtümer
und des leicht erworbenen Geldes, um dann zu lernen,
dass es kein leichtes zu erwerbendes Geld gibt. Spanien hat die Inflation erlebt, die die Erweiterung der
Geldumlaufmenge immer begleitet.
Und als ihr Geld in anderen Ländern ausgegeben war haben die Spanier bemerkt, dass in den Jahren als sie sich
erlauben konnten, Produkte aus aller Welt zu kaufen, ihre einheimischen Produzenten bankrott gingen, oder
einfach die Produktion eingestellt wurde. Sie erhielten das Geld ohne den Gegenwert der Arbeit. Die übrige
Geschichte Spaniens ist bekannt. Die Franzosen sagten später zurecht: Afrika fängt hinter den Pyrenäen an.
Der erste Papiergeldumlauf war in China. Der Wohlstand der chinesischen Gesellschaft wurde von Marco Polo
beschrieben. Leider ist er vor der ökonomischen Katastrophe abgereist, als der Wert des Papiergeldes begann
gegen Null zu tendieren.
Europa am Beginn des 18. Jahrhunderts wurde erschüttert durch das Papiergeldexperiment in Frankreich unter
Leitung des Bankiers John Law. Goethe schrieb darüber im «Faust» und von Voltaire ist die berühmte Phrase
überliefert: „Paper money eventually returns to it‘s intrinsic value – zero―
Niemand andere als Sir Isaak Newton wurde der Begründer des berühmten Goldstandards. Für die
Bequemlichkeit des sich entwickelnden Handels und der Industrialisierung wurde das Gold bei Banken verwahrt
und im Umlauf waren Papierscheine entsprechend der Menge des Goldes. Newton selber verfolgte
Falschmünzer und forderte von den Bankiers strenge Disziplin im Umgang mit dem Gold-Geldsystem. Später
wurde das System des goldenen Standards von allen europäischen Ländern übernommen.
Diese Gelddisziplin hat es möglich gemacht eine Welt
der Sicherheit zu organisieren wir Stefan Zweig sie
eingangs beschrieben hat.
Rubel 1898 Übersetzung:
„Die Staatliche Bank wechselt Banknoten gegen
goldene Münze ohne Beschränkung…―
So machte der Papierrubel Sin.! Mit ihm konnte man in
jede Bank gehen ihn dort vorlegen und als Gegenwert
massive, physisch reale, goldene Rubel bekommen!
Heute tauscht die Bank Papierrubel einfach gegen
andere um.
Nein, die Geschichte des Geldes ist nicht einfach, nicht leicht, nicht besonders glücklich und nicht besonders
friedlich. Sowohl Gold als auch Silber sind nicht ideale Systeme. Ihr Wert hängt auch vom Glauben in sie ab.
Aber die Geschichte hat gezeigt, daß bis jetzt kein langfristiges geldliches System ohne Gold existierte. Zu
keinem System hatten die Menschen seines Vertrauen mehr an, als den was auf dem goldenen Fundament stand.
Gold und Silber sind vielleicht nicht ideal, aber am Ende seines Arbeitstages konnte der Mensch etwas mit seiner
Faust umschließen was wirklichen Wert hatte, was man auf Jahrhunderte sparen konnte und seinen Nachfahren
übergeben. Es spielt keine Rolle welche Form die Münzen in den Jahrhunderten nach haben werden, die
heutigen Goldmünzen wie auch die alten Münzen Griechenlands, des Römische Reiches, ebenso wie das Gold
der Inka oder Afrikas, man kann es immer schmelzen, neu prägen und wieder in Umlauf bringen. Im
27
Sveta’s
Essays about Art, Gold and Politics
Unterschied zu allen farbigen Stückchen Papiers, die während der ganzen Geschichte wertlos wurden und
allenfalls etwas Sammlerwert haben.
P.S. Nach dem Zweiten Welt Krieg hat der Umfang der Waren viermal zugenommen, Finanzen aber um das
Vierzigfache.Der Markt wird diese Unregelmäßigkeiten ins Gleichgewicht bringen. Um die Balance wieder
herzustellen, werden die Preise explodieren oder aber das gesamte Kredit und Finanzsystem wird gleich einem
Potemkinschen Dorf zusammenklappen.
© rebellog.com / Sveta Renitent
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