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John Law and the Mississippi Bubble

In this animated short, Richard Condie offers up a history lesson about one of the most sensational get-rich-quick schemes that took place in France over 200 years ago. With economist John Law at the helm, the plan was to open a bank and exchange bank notes for gold at wildly inflated share prices to mask the fact that the country's gold had been depleted in the building of Louis XIV's palace. When the inevitable rush to cash in the notes takes place, poor John Law is left broke and broken-hearted. For more background info on this film, visit the NFB.ca …
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In this animated short, Richard Condie offers up a history lesson about one of the most sensational get-rich-quick schemes that took place in France over 200 years ago. With economist John Law at the helm, the plan was to open a bank and exchange bank notes for gold at wildly inflated share prices to mask the fact that the country's gold had been depleted in the building of Louis XIV's palace. When the inevitable rush to cash in the notes takes place, poor John Law is left broke and broken-hearted.



For more background info on this film, visit the NFB.ca blog.

Law and Crime Foreign Countries All subjects
Make Me Laugh All channels
  • director
    Richard Condie
  • producer
    Jerry Krepakevich
  • executive producer
    Michael Scott
    Kenneth Shere
  • script
    Stanley Jackson
  • narrator
    Stanley Jackson
  • sound
    William Eakin
    Ken Page
  • editing
    William Eakin
    Ken Page
  • animation
    Richard Condie
    Sharon Condie
    Gordon Manson
  • music
    Patrick Godfrey

Education

Ages 15 to 17

Notes

Possible activities include: Discuss John Law’s role in the economic collapse of France in 1720; Research the life of King Louis XIV of France; Research the successes and failures of royal edicts throughout history; Discuss your understanding of the gold standard and why it exists today. Explain get-rich-quick schemes, citing historical examples, and suggest reasons why they are rarely successful.

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John Law and the Mississippi Bubble
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