Bitcoin can surely be a beacon of hope in a society seemingly on the brink of collapse

Written as a City A.M. column in September 2023, the piece describes a society under strain from underfunded public services, the rising cost of living and short-term political decision-making, pointing to unsafe cladding, crumbling school buildings and an education system it sees as poorly suited to the modern world. It is particularly critical of the pressure created by grammar school entrance exams and of rising school absences since the pandemic.

The column traces these problems to broken money, drawing on a family example of immigrant grandparents who arrived after the Second World War and owned a home on unskilled wages, compared with university-educated professionals struggling to afford one. It argues that currency debasement erodes the value of work, calls for less government intervention, and presents bitcoin as sound money that could help communities regain control of their finances.