> Gold is the most obvious example; if currency was inextricably tied to governments, there would not have been a mad rush to colonize the New World (and extra

> Gold is the most obvious example; if currency was inextricably tied to governments, there would not have been a mad rush to colonize the New World (and extract its gold reserves). wut. you do know what middle-ages, gov't issued currency was made of, don't you? and who funded the new world expeditions? and for what reason? and you do know that even given the spanish crown's desire to repay their debtors, the bulk of that gold and silver windfall ended up going to china to fund their switch away from paper money by the Ming dynasty? acting like gold != governments is... well, frankly, it's ignorant.