Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, proposed a radical idea in 1921: replacing the gold-backed currency system with one based on "energy currency." He believed that gold was a source of conflict and that a currency tied to a nation's natural resources, like the energy produced by the Muscle Shoals hydroelectric plant in Alabama, would lead to greater global stability and peace. He argued that this system would break the control of international bankers and create a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Though Ford's idea did not gain traction at the time, it foreshadowed the emergence of Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that relies on energy-intensive mining processes to create new units. Bitcoin, like Ford’s vision, is decentralized and derives its value from the energy expended in its creation. While there are practical challenges to implementing energy-backed currencies, Bitcoin's existence serves as a modern manifestation of Ford's century-old idea and prompts a reevaluation of traditional financial systems.