Ethan Buchman
@buchmanster.bsky.social
Money, history, political philosophy, sustainability.
https://ebuchman.github.io/
Building https://cycles.money/ to clear the most debt for the most people with the least money
https://ebuchman.github.io/
Building https://cycles.money/ to clear the most debt for the most people with the least money
Pinned
Ethan Buchman
@buchmanster.bsky.social
· Nov 26
cycles.money
Balance sheets, meet graph theory.
A fresh look at money, payments, and finance from first principles.
cycles.money/whitepaper.pdf
A fresh look at money, payments, and finance from first principles.
cycles.money/whitepaper.pdf
This is probably true everywhere
10. Monetary systems of credit and banking predate coinage at Rome. You can fight me on this if you like.
August 3, 2025 at 4:13 PM
This is probably true everywhere
If you're into 15th century Florentine bankers, pivot to 13th century Sienese
August 3, 2025 at 4:10 PM
If you're into 15th century Florentine bankers, pivot to 13th century Sienese
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
24. I feel modern scholars discount the importance of the stars in ancient lives because we cannot see them through our own light pollution.
July 31, 2025 at 8:37 PM
24. I feel modern scholars discount the importance of the stars in ancient lives because we cannot see them through our own light pollution.
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
There was plenty of innovation in the Middle Ages, we just don’t notice many of it and a lot of it was societal and economic and not purely technological.
July 26, 2025 at 8:52 AM
There was plenty of innovation in the Middle Ages, we just don’t notice many of it and a lot of it was societal and economic and not purely technological.
Were the Knights Templar responsible for the international growth of the Champagne Fairs?
They seem to have been involved in Champagne and to have played some key roles before the fairs grew to intl importance and the Italians started coming in the late 12th c 👇
They seem to have been involved in Champagne and to have played some key roles before the fairs grew to intl importance and the Italians started coming in the late 12th c 👇
July 31, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Were the Knights Templar responsible for the international growth of the Champagne Fairs?
They seem to have been involved in Champagne and to have played some key roles before the fairs grew to intl importance and the Italians started coming in the late 12th c 👇
They seem to have been involved in Champagne and to have played some key roles before the fairs grew to intl importance and the Italians started coming in the late 12th c 👇
Chasing a lead that 15th c Italian bankers quoted rates to englishmen differently from everyone else
Possibly relevant to rise of London as financial centre and sterling as a dominant money
Possibly relevant to rise of London as financial centre and sterling as a dominant money
April 8, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Chasing a lead that 15th c Italian bankers quoted rates to englishmen differently from everyone else
Possibly relevant to rise of London as financial centre and sterling as a dominant money
Possibly relevant to rise of London as financial centre and sterling as a dominant money
Join us this Sunday at 1pm ET to discuss Dollinger's The German Hansa
Subscribe to @themimbresschool.bsky.social to attend or watch the recording after
Subscribe to @themimbresschool.bsky.social to attend or watch the recording after
Map of Hansa geography.
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
March 28, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Join us this Sunday at 1pm ET to discuss Dollinger's The German Hansa
Subscribe to @themimbresschool.bsky.social to attend or watch the recording after
Subscribe to @themimbresschool.bsky.social to attend or watch the recording after
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
March 21, 2025 at 12:38 AM
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
lol obviously the one englishman to have ever been pope issues a bull granting Ireland to the English
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudabi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudabi...
Laudabiliter - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
March 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
lol obviously the one englishman to have ever been pope issues a bull granting Ireland to the English
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudabi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudabi...
So the English stole a bunch of Irish land and gave it to English landowners. Plan was for them to recruit English tenants to farm.
But the new owners realized they could charge much higher rents to the Irish who wanted to stay on their land than to new English recruits.
King James was pissed.
But the new owners realized they could charge much higher rents to the Irish who wanted to stay on their land than to new English recruits.
King James was pissed.
March 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
So the English stole a bunch of Irish land and gave it to English landowners. Plan was for them to recruit English tenants to farm.
But the new owners realized they could charge much higher rents to the Irish who wanted to stay on their land than to new English recruits.
King James was pissed.
But the new owners realized they could charge much higher rents to the Irish who wanted to stay on their land than to new English recruits.
King James was pissed.
tfw you're trying to understand the origin of british capitalism and so now you're reading a book about oats
March 19, 2025 at 1:24 AM
tfw you're trying to understand the origin of british capitalism and so now you're reading a book about oats
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
For the #IdesofMarch, here's one of the most famous coins to ever be minted: the silver denarius of M. Junius Brutus commemorating the assassination of Julius Caesar. It depicts two daggers, a slave's cap of freedom (pileus), and the inscription EID MAR. 🏺 #ancientbluesky
43-42 CE. #MetMuseum
📸 me
43-42 CE. #MetMuseum
📸 me
March 15, 2025 at 3:08 PM
For the #IdesofMarch, here's one of the most famous coins to ever be minted: the silver denarius of M. Junius Brutus commemorating the assassination of Julius Caesar. It depicts two daggers, a slave's cap of freedom (pileus), and the inscription EID MAR. 🏺 #ancientbluesky
43-42 CE. #MetMuseum
📸 me
43-42 CE. #MetMuseum
📸 me
Working on a theory that the origin of British capitalism simply boils down to the propensity for growing oats.
> The Irish grew lots of oats
> The British colonized the Irish
> The oats fed the horses
> The horses plowed the fields
> Boom: Agricultural Capitalism
> The Irish grew lots of oats
> The British colonized the Irish
> The oats fed the horses
> The horses plowed the fields
> Boom: Agricultural Capitalism
March 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Working on a theory that the origin of British capitalism simply boils down to the propensity for growing oats.
> The Irish grew lots of oats
> The British colonized the Irish
> The oats fed the horses
> The horses plowed the fields
> Boom: Agricultural Capitalism
> The Irish grew lots of oats
> The British colonized the Irish
> The oats fed the horses
> The horses plowed the fields
> Boom: Agricultural Capitalism
Map of Hansa geography.
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
March 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Map of Hansa geography.
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
Hansa regions in red, neighbours in green, rivers in blue, mountains in brown.
Hansa territory basically defined by the rivers Rhine, Weser, Elbe, Oder, Vistula and southern Baltic coast. Bordered in south by the Main and the Ore/Giant/Carpathian mountains
#medievalsky
Why yes, I would like to see a calculation of how much more credit there is than coin in early modern England based on analysis of probate inventories
March 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Why yes, I would like to see a calculation of how much more credit there is than coin in early modern England based on analysis of probate inventories
> be me
> oh its 10pm I'll go to bed early
> proceed to read for 4 hrs about oat production, horse markets, and land markets in medieval england
🫠
> oh its 10pm I'll go to bed early
> proceed to read for 4 hrs about oat production, horse markets, and land markets in medieval england
🫠
March 17, 2025 at 1:41 PM
> be me
> oh its 10pm I'll go to bed early
> proceed to read for 4 hrs about oat production, horse markets, and land markets in medieval england
🫠
> oh its 10pm I'll go to bed early
> proceed to read for 4 hrs about oat production, horse markets, and land markets in medieval england
🫠
This book is 100 years old. First edition Gustav Cassel
March 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
This book is 100 years old. First edition Gustav Cassel
Just learned about the Bazacle Milling Company.
First recorded European joint stock company, from 12th c. Shares traded freely. Lasted until it was nationalized in the 20th c!
Water mills were very profitable and serious business in medieval times
First recorded European joint stock company, from 12th c. Shares traded freely. Lasted until it was nationalized in the 20th c!
Water mills were very profitable and serious business in medieval times
March 16, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Just learned about the Bazacle Milling Company.
First recorded European joint stock company, from 12th c. Shares traded freely. Lasted until it was nationalized in the 20th c!
Water mills were very profitable and serious business in medieval times
First recorded European joint stock company, from 12th c. Shares traded freely. Lasted until it was nationalized in the 20th c!
Water mills were very profitable and serious business in medieval times
So is Bill Withers just the greatest song writer of all time or what
January 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
So is Bill Withers just the greatest song writer of all time or what
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
So I re-read most of the Cycles white paper again from @buchmanster.bsky.social @t-fleischman.bsky.social and team. If nothing else, anyone even remotely involved in payments, monetary theory, Econ, Fintech should at least read pages 3 to 5 and the Abstract. total tour deforce! cycles.money
Cycles: Respect the Graph
The Open Clearing Protocol.
cycles.money
January 7, 2025 at 4:03 AM
So I re-read most of the Cycles white paper again from @buchmanster.bsky.social @t-fleischman.bsky.social and team. If nothing else, anyone even remotely involved in payments, monetary theory, Econ, Fintech should at least read pages 3 to 5 and the Abstract. total tour deforce! cycles.money
I got a 100 tweet long thread going on the other site about the German Hansa, an informal club of formal clubs that dominated north euro trade for 300 years
No king, no army, no treasury, just cooperative decentralized network of merchants & towns w/ common interest in trade
x.com/buchmanster/...
No king, no army, no treasury, just cooperative decentralized network of merchants & towns w/ common interest in trade
x.com/buchmanster/...
x.com
x.com
December 30, 2024 at 8:53 PM
I got a 100 tweet long thread going on the other site about the German Hansa, an informal club of formal clubs that dominated north euro trade for 300 years
No king, no army, no treasury, just cooperative decentralized network of merchants & towns w/ common interest in trade
x.com/buchmanster/...
No king, no army, no treasury, just cooperative decentralized network of merchants & towns w/ common interest in trade
x.com/buchmanster/...
Sometime back I made a (wildly incomplete) map of economists and their influence (green), mentorship (blue), and disputes (red).
Focus is on the heterodox schools and the relations between them.
Impact of the Austrian line is astounding.
Focus is on the heterodox schools and the relations between them.
Impact of the Austrian line is astounding.
December 30, 2024 at 5:10 AM
Sometime back I made a (wildly incomplete) map of economists and their influence (green), mentorship (blue), and disputes (red).
Focus is on the heterodox schools and the relations between them.
Impact of the Austrian line is astounding.
Focus is on the heterodox schools and the relations between them.
Impact of the Austrian line is astounding.
What is the best reference for understanding the geography of european rivers while reading medieval history?
somewhat frustrated by not being able to easily keep track of where the elbe/trave/oder/etc. are and their relation to the cities
somewhat frustrated by not being able to easily keep track of where the elbe/trave/oder/etc. are and their relation to the cities
December 27, 2024 at 6:12 PM
What is the best reference for understanding the geography of european rivers while reading medieval history?
somewhat frustrated by not being able to easily keep track of where the elbe/trave/oder/etc. are and their relation to the cities
somewhat frustrated by not being able to easily keep track of where the elbe/trave/oder/etc. are and their relation to the cities
Applying to join the Society of Merchants Who Frequently Travel to Gotland.
Wish me luck!
Wish me luck!
December 26, 2024 at 5:29 PM
Applying to join the Society of Merchants Who Frequently Travel to Gotland.
Wish me luck!
Wish me luck!
Reposted by Ethan Buchman
cycles.money/blog/cycles-... After digging into the fantastic Cycles white paper by @buchmanster.bsky.social @t-fleischman.bsky.social and the crew I want to start sharing the first of many reflections. First, I consider this paper a spiritual successor to the legendary EF Schumacher paper on
Cycles: Respect the Graph
The Open Clearing Protocol.
cycles.money
December 20, 2024 at 11:50 PM
cycles.money/blog/cycles-... After digging into the fantastic Cycles white paper by @buchmanster.bsky.social @t-fleischman.bsky.social and the crew I want to start sharing the first of many reflections. First, I consider this paper a spiritual successor to the legendary EF Schumacher paper on