(Natural News)—The Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944, which involved representatives from 44 nations, established a system through which a fixed currency exchange rate could be created using gold as the universal standard. It made the dollar a superpower. Its two major accomplishments were the creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), commonly known as the World Bank.
However, capital immobility hindered trade among countries. Since encouraging free trade was one of the initial goals of the system, it was undermined by capital immobility, leading to the collapse of the Bretton Woods system.
The Burning Platform‘s economic and political writer Brandon Smith recently warned: “Think of world reserve status as a ‘deal with the devil.’ You get the fame, fortune, trophy dates and a sweet car for a while. Then one day the devil comes to collect and when he does, he’s going to take everything, including your soul. Unfortunately, I suspect collection time is coming soon for the United States.”
According to him, the Department of the Treasury understands that there is constant demand for dollars overseas as a means to more easily import and export goods. The petrodollar monopoly made the U.S. dollar essential for trading oil globally for decades. Of course, the central bank of the U.S. has been able to create fiat currency from thin air to a far higher degree than any other central bank on the planet while avoiding the immediate effects of hyperinflation, he added.
As a result, the cash ended up in the coffers of foreign central banks, international banks and investment firms. Sometimes it is held as a hedge or bought and sold to adjust the exchange rates of local currencies. As much as 60 percent of all U.S. currency and 25 percent of the national debt is owned outside America.
The current problem is that the Fed is overprinting dollars that it stows currency, but it has time constraints. Eventually the effects of overprinting “come home to roost.” And it may take a brand-new Bretton Woods-like system that removes the dollar as the global reserve currency and replaces it with a new digital basket system like the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) currency.
Lately, international banks are already expressing a shift from a dollar-based financial world to using a central bank digital currency (CBDC)-focused system built on unified ledgers. This will place the IMF as the middleman controlling the flow of digital transactions. (Related: IMF “working hard” on new global CBDC platform to replace dollar and other national currencies.)
“We could end up in a world where we have connected entities to some degree, but some entities and some countries that are excluded. And as a global and multilateral institution, we’re sort of aiming to provide a basic connectivity, a basic set of rules and governance that is truly multilateral and inclusive,” the IMF noted in a discussion on centralized ledgers in 2023.
Former White House economist says BRICS could swing an “economic wrecking ball” at dollar dominance
Thanks to BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and, as of 2024, new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, an economic wrecking ball could be swung to break dollar hegemony, especially since the bloc has been gaining more influence and growing its size.
This was according to former White House economist Joe Sullivan. In a recent op-ed for Foreign Policy, he pointed to mounting fears that BRICS nations could create a currency to rival the U.S. dollar in international trade. Though BRICS officials have said there is no such rival currency in the works, the group could pose a threat to the greenback based on its growing influence, Sullivan warned.
Now that Egypt, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia already joined BRICS, they could influence over 12 percent of all global trade. That’s because those three countries surround the Suez Canal, a key passage for goods to flow into international markets.
The economist further said that BRICS has major sway in commodities markets. Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates are among the world’s top exporters of fossil fuels. Brazil, China, and Russia, meanwhile, are major exporters of precious metals.
Saudi Arabia’s joining could give BRICS a major advantage. The Middle Eastern nation owns over $100 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds, which has helped bring BRICS’ total holdings in the Treasury over $1 trillion, Sullivan further stated.
“The BRICS+ nations do not need to wait until a shared trade currency meets the technical conditions typical of global reserve currency before they swing their newly enlarged economic wrecking ball at the dollar,” he added.
Sound off about this article on the Economic Collapse Substack.
DollarDemise.com has more stories on the death of the dollar. Watch the video where Andy Schectman talks about economic Armageddon, forced CBDC and BRICS. This video is from Sarah Westall’s channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- IMF says SEIZURE of frozen Russian assets must have sufficient legal support.
- IMF hints that countries will soon be able to repay debt using Chinese YUAN currency.
- Move over USD: Argentina uses Chinese yuan to settle IMF debt.
- IMF unleashes Unicoin, a new global CBDC intended to enslave the entire planet under a one world digital currency.
Sources include:
- CorporateFinanceInstitute.com
- TheBurningPlatform.com
- Expose-News.com
- Markets.BusinessInsider.com
- Brighteon.com
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
