"Paper currency has hitherto been regarded with suspicion, as insecure"
About this Quote
Paper money always arrives wearing a disguise: convenience on the surface, a wager underneath. Robinson’s line catches that unease in mid-sentence, with the prim, bureaucratic calm of a man describing what is really a crisis of trust. “Hitherto” does heavy lifting here. It suggests he’s not simply reporting a prejudice; he’s marking a turning point, a moment when the old suspicion must be managed, argued with, maybe overridden. The phrase “regarded with suspicion” is also tellingly passive. No villains, no blame, just a public mood that any practical politician has to acknowledge before attempting reform.
The subtext is that currency isn’t a thing so much as a social agreement, and Robinson is speaking to an audience still haunted by the failures that make “insecure” feel like common sense: bank runs, unstable private notes, and the periodic panics that defined late-19th and early-20th century finance. In that world, “paper” is shorthand for fragility, for wealth that can evaporate when confidence does. Gold and coin promise solidity; paper asks citizens to accept that value can be enforced by institutions rather than embodied in metal.
As a politician, Robinson’s intent is less philosophical than strategic. He’s preparing listeners for a case: that suspicion is understandable but not necessarily decisive. The line is a rhetorical preamble meant to lower defenses, conceding the fear before he pivots to regulation, central authority, or policy safeguards. He’s not praising distrust; he’s trying to domesticate it.
The subtext is that currency isn’t a thing so much as a social agreement, and Robinson is speaking to an audience still haunted by the failures that make “insecure” feel like common sense: bank runs, unstable private notes, and the periodic panics that defined late-19th and early-20th century finance. In that world, “paper” is shorthand for fragility, for wealth that can evaporate when confidence does. Gold and coin promise solidity; paper asks citizens to accept that value can be enforced by institutions rather than embodied in metal.
As a politician, Robinson’s intent is less philosophical than strategic. He’s preparing listeners for a case: that suspicion is understandable but not necessarily decisive. The line is a rhetorical preamble meant to lower defenses, conceding the fear before he pivots to regulation, central authority, or policy safeguards. He’s not praising distrust; he’s trying to domesticate it.
Quote Details
| Topic | Money |
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