Murray Rothbard’s 1963 Text Foreshadows Modern 'Hidden Tax' of Inflation, Expert Claims

Financial analyst Taylor Kenney warns that current government monetary policies are accelerating a massive, hidden transfer of wealth to economic elites while creating a deceptive “illusion of prosperity” for the general public.

Wealth Transfer Accelerates as Currency Devalues, Gold Advocate Warns

Taylor Kenney of the full-service precious metals firm ITM Trading argues that continuous government money creation, described as “counterfeiting” or inflation, systematically transfers wealth from the majority to the “top 1%.” Kenney bases her analysis partly on concepts from Murray Rothbard’s 1963 book “What Has Government Done to Our Money?”

“Counterfeiting can create in its very victims the blissful illusion of prosperity,” Kenney said, reading Rothbard’s words. “Counterfeiting is evidently just another name for inflation.”

Leveraging Rothbard’s book, she contends this process, while often presented as economic stimulus, primarily benefits early recipients of new money, like financial institutions and asset holders, diluting the value of currency over time.

ITM Trading’s Taylor Kenney reads some passages from Murray Rothbard’s “What Has Government Done to Our Money?” in order to explain the hidden tax called inflation. She specifically cited Rothbard’s assertion that inflation serves as a “powerful and subtle means for government acquisition of the public’s resources” and a “painless and all the more dangerous form of taxation,” avoiding the immediate backlash caused by direct taxes.

The ITM Trading analyst stated:

“Every paycheck you earn is going to be worth less, and you won’t feel it right away—but it’s happening.”

With Rothbard’s blueprint, Kenney emphasized inflation’s uneven impact. She claimed “first receivers” of new money see increased purchasing power initially, while “last receivers” – such as those on fixed incomes, pensions, or wages lagging inflation – suffer significant losses in real wealth as prices rise. This, Kenney stated, inherently widens the wealth gap.

Kenney outlined a predicted currency lifecycle, suggesting the U.S. is currently in a phase where people spend rapidly, anticipating further price hikes. She warned the next stage could be a “crack-up boom,” leading potentially to hyperinflation and monetary collapse, devastating savings and dollar-denominated assets.

As protection, Kenney advocated physical gold and silver, stressing that these assets are “outside of the system” not subject to government devaluation. She referenced ITM Trading’s free “Built to Endure Report,” detailing historical currency cycles and defensive strategies. Kenney explained:

“I don’t care about the illusion of prosperity—I want actual prosperity. I want real control, real freedom, and real privacy. And that’s what physical gold and silver give me.”

Kenney concluded by urging skepticism towards official economic narratives, linking historical government failures to manage money to a loss of public trust. If Kenney’s assessment holds, the true battleground isn’t inflation alone—but public perception itself. As monetary levers quietly redirect wealth upward, the average citizen may remain unaware until the consequences crystallize. For those paying attention, illusion is no shield—only preparation offers protection.