A Financial Fable
Encyclopedia
"A Financial Fable" is a Donald Duck
comic book
story written and illustrated by Carl Barks
in September 1950. As with many other Barks stories, it was originally untitled. The story deals with what will happen if everyone in a community become millionaires.
#126 in March 1951. It has later appeared in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #363 (December 1970) and #489 (August 1981), Uncle Scrooge Adventures #23 (November 1993), Uncle Scrooge
#326 (February 2004), and other publications.
Outside of the United States, the story has been published in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and probably other countries.
is running a farm, employing his nephews as farmhands. While Huey, Dewey and Louie
enjoy working, Donald Duck
is tired of labour and quits the job, joining his lucky cousin Gladstone Gander in searching for luck and money.
Scrooge keeps all his money in a corn crib at the farm. When a cyclone hits the crib, the cash is spread all over the area. Scrooge is not upset, knowing that if he and his young nephews keep working, they will get the money back soon enough.
Meanwhile, Gladstone is demonstrating his unbelievable luck, holding out his hat and asking for some money to land in it. Two million of Scrooge's dollars then fall down from the sky and land in the hat. The two cousins decide to spend the money on travelling, and drive to the local village to buy gas. When they arrive, they learn that money has been raining over the villagers too, and now that everyone are millionaires, no-one are working anymore. Therefore, they can not buy gas, or take the bus, or even buy good shoes so that they can walk to a town where they can buy something. Donald gives up, and returns to his uncle, where he gets his job back, while Gladstone gives Donald his million and goes fishing. Scrooge informs him that if he wants to eat eggs for breakfast, they cost a million each.
Eventually, all the new millionaires go to Scrooge's farm to buy food and perhaps get a job. With the prices having drastically increased — an egg now costs one million dollars, as does a ham, and a cabbage costs two million — Scrooge soon gets all of his money back, and everything is back to normal.
wrote that Barks "wrote from a socio-economic viewpoint that was somewhat to the right of Ayn Rand
" and that the story could make "any Bush
blush with envy at its conservative credentials". Donaldist
Jon Gisle called the story "a classic defence of the capitalistic
system".
Gunnar Bårdsen, a Norwegian professor of economics
, has pointed out the similarities between the story and Nobel prize
-winning economist Milton Friedman
's 1969 theories of "helicopter money".
Barks himself called "A Financial Fable" a "story of easy riches" and said that the message of the story surely would get him "in a cell in a Siberian gulag
someday."
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story written and illustrated by Carl Barks
Carl Barks
Carl Barks was an American Disney Studio illustrator and comic book creator, who invented Duckburg and many of its inhabitants, such as Scrooge McDuck , Gladstone Gander , the Beagle Boys , The Junior Woodchucks , Gyro Gearloose , Cornelius Coot , Flintheart Glomgold , John D...
in September 1950. As with many other Barks stories, it was originally untitled. The story deals with what will happen if everyone in a community become millionaires.
Publications
The story first appeared in Walt Disney's Comics and StoriesWalt Disney's Comics and Stories
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, sometimes abbreviated WDC or WDC&S, is an anthology comic book series that has an assortment of Disney characters, including Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Chip 'n Dale, Lil Bad Wolf, Scamp, Bucky Bug, Grandma Duck, Brer Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and...
#126 in March 1951. It has later appeared in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #363 (December 1970) and #489 (August 1981), Uncle Scrooge Adventures #23 (November 1993), Uncle Scrooge
Uncle Scrooge
Uncle Scrooge is a comic book with the stingy Scrooge McDuck "the richest duck in the world" as the main character. The series also featured Donald Duck and his nephews as supporting characters. The first 70 issues mostly consisted of stories written and drawn by Carl Barks, the creator of Scrooge...
#326 (February 2004), and other publications.
Outside of the United States, the story has been published in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and probably other countries.
Plot
Scrooge McDuckScrooge McDuck
Scrooge McDuck is a cartoon character created in 1947 by Carl Barks and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Scrooge is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a red or blue frock coat, top hat, pince-nez glasses, and spats...
is running a farm, employing his nephews as farmhands. While Huey, Dewey and Louie
Huey, Dewey and Louie
Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck are a trio of fictional, anthropomorphic ducks who appear in animated cartoons and comic books published by the Walt Disney Company. Identical triplets, the three are Donald Duck's nephews. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were created by Ted Osborne and Al Taliaferro, and first...
enjoy working, Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
is tired of labour and quits the job, joining his lucky cousin Gladstone Gander in searching for luck and money.
Scrooge keeps all his money in a corn crib at the farm. When a cyclone hits the crib, the cash is spread all over the area. Scrooge is not upset, knowing that if he and his young nephews keep working, they will get the money back soon enough.
Meanwhile, Gladstone is demonstrating his unbelievable luck, holding out his hat and asking for some money to land in it. Two million of Scrooge's dollars then fall down from the sky and land in the hat. The two cousins decide to spend the money on travelling, and drive to the local village to buy gas. When they arrive, they learn that money has been raining over the villagers too, and now that everyone are millionaires, no-one are working anymore. Therefore, they can not buy gas, or take the bus, or even buy good shoes so that they can walk to a town where they can buy something. Donald gives up, and returns to his uncle, where he gets his job back, while Gladstone gives Donald his million and goes fishing. Scrooge informs him that if he wants to eat eggs for breakfast, they cost a million each.
Eventually, all the new millionaires go to Scrooge's farm to buy food and perhaps get a job. With the prices having drastically increased — an egg now costs one million dollars, as does a ham, and a cabbage costs two million — Scrooge soon gets all of his money back, and everything is back to normal.
Analysis
The message of the story has been described as politically right-wing. Ed Natcher of Prism ComicsPrism Comics
Prism Comics is a non-profit organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender creators, stories, characters, and readers in the comics industry....
wrote that Barks "wrote from a socio-economic viewpoint that was somewhat to the right of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
" and that the story could make "any Bush
Bush family
The Bush family is a prominent American family. Along with many members who have been successful bankers and businessmen, across three generations the family includes two U.S. Senators, one Supreme Court Justice, two Governors, one Vice President and two Presidents...
blush with envy at its conservative credentials". Donaldist
Donaldism
Donaldism is the fandom associated with Disney comics and cartoons. The name refers to Donald Duck and was first used by Jon Gisle in his book Donaldismen in 1973....
Jon Gisle called the story "a classic defence of the capitalistic
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
system".
Gunnar Bårdsen, a Norwegian professor of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, has pointed out the similarities between the story and Nobel prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
-winning economist Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
's 1969 theories of "helicopter money".
Barks himself called "A Financial Fable" a "story of easy riches" and said that the message of the story surely would get him "in a cell in a Siberian gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
someday."