The great Austrian economist Ludwig Von Mises, one of my heroes, famously said that government is the only institution that can take two things of value, ink and paper, and turn it into something entirely worthless.

That is what governments from the Babylon empire to modern-day Zimbabwe have done. In order to increased spending, governments have taken control of the money supply and then debase the currency. The Babylon and Roman empires diluted precise metals, modern-day states create hyper-inflation through printing more and more until the currency is useless.

At a recent economic conference, I saw first hand what the government can do. I saw the consequences of inflation that deduces the living wages of people into chump change.

The notes of inflation governments are numerous. I was able to snap a few photos:

A 5000 note. As inflation increases, the government has to increase the sizes of notes as the currency’s value decreases more and more. A worthless 5000 note.

A shitload of 1000 notes worth shit.

And my favorite: a TRILLION, with a T, note from the national bank of Zimbabwe. What a sad situation. While I am not sure about his note, I once say a 500 million Zimbabwe note that had an expiration date. That is how out-of-control hyper-inflation in Zimbabwe is, that even a 500 million becomes worth less on the pennies after just six months.

My favorite part is that the note states that the national bank will pay a trillion to the holder of the note, is the note not already a trillion?

Here are the monetary horrors of government.