“Money often costs too much.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
It really does all come down to money.
Money decides the outcome of wars and elections. It ensures that we are properly fed and clothed. It buys us an education and pays for all of our material needs. And it may not be able to buy happiness, but it does have a dramatic impact on that vague thing that’s often referred to as “quality of life.”
All of us, if we’re being honest, would rather have more of it than less of it.
But the value of money is variable. The currency of one country continuously fluctuates in value relative to the currency of every other country – and those fluctuations can have a dramatic economic impact.
A Stronger Dollar
You’d think countries would be striving to make their currencies stronger, but in recent years, we’ve had “currency wars” as competing countries have tried to weaken their currencies to increase demand for their imported goods.
Now, though, as other countries’ currencies have become weaker, the dollar has strengthened. In fact, the dollar reached a four-year high this week against a basket of major currencies, as The Wall Street Journal reported, “amid mounting expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next year while its counterparts in Europe and Japan consider further measures to raise inflation and spur growth.”