[quote=briansd1]I pretty much agree with you guys above.

It seems like the best way to remain wealthy over the ages (like the Rothschild family) is to own hard assets that can be turned to rent (currency) when needed. The key is not to owe too much debt that you can’t repay without having to liquidate your assets for pennies on the dollar. I call that wherewithal.

In that respect, real estate is a great investment, if you buy wisely at the right time. The same would apply to productive capacity that can “mint” currency, whatever it happens to be at a given time.

If you look at wars and revolutions, the families that did the best over time are the ones who owned hard assets outright.[/quote]

Brian: If you do a little research, you’ll find out how the Rothschilds really made their money, and it will surprise you. Not what you’re thinking at all. They’re detailed at length in Niall Ferguson’s “The Ascent of Money”.