The double entry accounting model is the least understood but most powerful as well as everlasting economic model of all time. It is so powerful, so complete, so indestructible; it will endure all eventualities.
Wolfgang Goethe, the German writer and statesman, described it in the 1750's as "one of the greatest achievements of the human mind". I agree 100% with him. There is no and never will be an economic model greater than the double entry accounting model.
Very few people, for example, understand why bitcoin is based on a public "ledger". The double entry accounting ledger being the central part of the double entry accounting model.
In my view we can easily solve a number of our global, fundamental economic problems with the double entry accounting model. Fundamental problems like, for example, monetary value destruction during inflation and hyperinflation; very destabilizing monetary creation via deflation; very destabilizing national currency differences, economic and financial instability, poverty, inequality, etc.
On the other hand: the most destructive economic assumption of all time is undoubtedly the stable measuring unit assumption: in principle, the very destructive, global, traditional, centuries old, generally accepted Historical Cost Accounting model: currently the worst possible accounting model of our time: an accounting model that has now overstayed its welcome: it was the only viable and easily understood accounting model during the last 100 years: now its time has passed. It has to be finally killed off as soon as possible. It is not required anymore. It served its purpose. It certainly is very backward to implement HCA today when the CPI is almost 100 years old and most countries already publish the all important Daily CPI that is the sine qua non of the new Units of Constant Purchasing Power economy.
As a Units of Constant Purchasing Power accountant I live in exciting times.
The flip side of the coin: Historical Cost Accountants live in the worst of times: the basic substance of their nominal historical cost world is being broken down at an accelerating rate. Fact: they do not even know it or understand that is happening: the HC lemming effect. They are too hard-wired in HCA. They are too hard-wired in believing the stable measuring unit assumption. To HC accountants money was, is and always will be perfectly stable at all rates of inflation from zero to 25.99%. How silly can you get!!
Fact: the HCA status quo will most probably continue for the next 200 years!
Nicolaas Smith
Copyright (c) 2005-2014 Nicolaas J Smith. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.
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