Wikipedia being one of the major homes of knowledge on the World Wide Web, it is appropriate that the theme of this page be knowledge itself.
The problem with aphorisms like knowledge is power is that they are without context. While they can be useful rules of thumb, they can also mislead simple thought into taking them to be reliable and absolute guides in making difficult choices. This problem exists regardless of the authority who coined or first uttered the words. For example, we cannot dismiss social injustice as a problem just because Christ is reported to have said that the poor will always be with us.
Knowledge is power... if one has the power to put knowledge to work. And that is a big "if".
Also, "knowledge of what" is power?
Is there a kind of knowledge which makes all other knowledge accessible?
A pragmatic answer could be that the knowledge of making lots of money is that supreme knowledge. For it is not the piper, knowing how to play the pipe, who calls the tune, but he who has the money to pay the piper.
So, who is the best at making lots of money? Not many people know this, but there is a group of people who top anyone else at this game. This is the group of people who actually manufacture money like other people make shoes or motor cars. This is the best game in town: Want a pair of shoes, or a motor car? Write an IOU that everyone accepts instead of money, and presto, the things are yours.
OK, this is a caricature of the banking system. But like a good caricature it is a recognisable likeness of the real thing (if one is somewhat familiar with the real thing). And the real thing is fractional-reserve banking. The honest version of baning is full-reserve banking.
