An interesting read with some good analogies. I think currency manipulation does take place in the modern world and on many different levels.

One example could be China devaluing its currency to make their goods cheaper to try negate the effects of the tariffs currently being imposed on them. The peoples bank of China retains the power to set the value of Renminbi vs USD even though the dollar value rises and falls in free market trading.

Another more shocking example could be the Euro. It came into effect on 1st Jan 1999 and was promised as a win win situation to all who signed up to abolishing their own currency. In reality it was a disaster for many of the southern European nations like Italy, Spain and in particular - Greece. When Greece found its economy was struggling and with soaring unemployment they found themselves trapped. Trapped with a currency which could not devalue in the traditional way when an economy fails and the free market reacts.

This was also Germany's currency with a growing economy, one many times the size of Greece's. They where not at all happy with the idea of the Euro losing value due to the Greek economy. Instead 100's of billions of Euros were loaned to Greece over 3 separate bailout packages, payed for by the taxpayers of other EU members (including the UK who's public rejected the Euro in a referendum). In return Greece has had to concede its fiscal policy making to the European central bank and is told how much it may borrow and how much it may spend or face consequences such as fines.

In reality even should Greece have good governance they will never be able to repay the debt even over generations. There is already talk of writing off 50% of the debt - that's 100+ billion Euros of taxpayers money 'poof' gone.

Now many people in other nations scoff at Greece seeing them as little more than a German colony. I feel more sympathetic to its people and find the ways it happened a disgrace.

Now the contradiction:

I think tax is a good thing.

People want infrastructure - roads, railways, internet access etc.
People want Schools and Library's and public transport.
People want law order and security from police forces.
People want security from their military.

If people want then where fair and possible they should contribute.

The debate for me is rather how to make taxes fair and how to avoid corruption and manipulation. How to make the process transparent and hold people accountable?

I think i read somewhere once that one of the aims of the creator of bitcoin was in part to address some of these currency injustices by creating a currency that can not be manipulated?

Hopefully the success of a currency like steem will serve to make the world a fairer place for all (sooner the better).