<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV> <P><BR><BR></P></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>If there's a generalized flight from paper assets, yes. But over the <DIV></DIV>>very long term, gold's trend is pretty much flat in real terms - <DIV></DIV>>which make sense, since it's supposed to be a store of purchasing <DIV></DIV>>power. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Doug <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>> <DIV>What about gold as the universal equivalent commodity par excellence.  Does the "flight from paper assets" to gold under economic duress confirm Marx's statement that a monetary system based on paper currencies backed by state power can never break free from gold as the basis of measuring value in a capitalist economy?  The continuing attempt to break free from a commodity based monetary standard continually produces "currency crises."  Remember Reagan's "Gold Committee" and the attempt of Bush the First to set up a commodity basket as the basis for a new international monetary system.  The international monetary system is anarchy because capitalist commdity production requires a universal equivalent commodity to measure the exchange value of commodities produced.  Fiat currencies are not universal measures of value, but only reflect the political force of the state backing the currency.  Hence anarchy in t he currency markets.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>grs </DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Add photos to your e-mail with <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMCENUS/2746">MSN 8.</a> Get 2 months FREE*.</html>