Ben Wehrman Podcast #128 Saifedean Ammous - How Bitcoin Disincentivizes Violence and Defunds the Israeli Land-Theft Machine
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Jun 15, 2025 
Saifedean Ammous, an economist and author renowned for his work on Bitcoin and Austrian economics, dives into the interplay between cryptocurrency and global politics. He reveals how Bitcoin can undermine traditional funding methods for war, critiques central banking as a catalyst for societal issues, and discusses the moral implications of property rights. Saifedean also explores how U.S. foreign policy serves specific interests, particularly in the context of Israel, and highlights the historical roots linking fiat currency to current geopolitical conflicts.
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Why Fixed Supply Raises Civilization's Horizon
- Fixed supply money like Bitcoin raises purchasing power over time instead of requiring more units as the economy grows.
- Saifedean argues rising money value encourages savings, long-term planning, and civilization-building.
Deflation Fear Misreads Human Priorities
- Keynesian arguments that deflation stops consumption are false caricatures of human behavior, according to Saifedean.
- People consume essentials now; hard money primarily reduces frivolous, short-term consumption and increases savings.
Money Hardness Shapes Time Preference
- The hardness of money shapes time preference: harder money lowers time preference and increases saving, investment, and moral long-term behavior.
- This dynamic fuels civilization through capital accumulation and cooperative incentives.
