In "The Triumph of Money," Niall Ferguson discusses the role of financial mechanisms and their impact on economic systems. He cites Yevgueni Preobrazhenski's metaphor comparing the issuance of paper money to a "machine gun" wielded by finance officials. This dramatic image illustrates how financial policies can aggressively challenge and destabilize capitalist frameworks, suggesting that the rapid increase of money supply can undermine the bourgeois order from behind the scenes.

The insight reflects a broader theme within the book regarding the tension between finance and traditional economic structures. Ferguson emphasizes the power that monetary strategies hold in navigating and reshaping societal systems, often leading to significant transformations. Preobrazhenski's analogy serves to highlight the disruptive potential of monetary policy, as it acts as a forceful tool that can either support or dismantle existing economic hierarchies.