John Jones's Dollar

"John Jones's Dollar" by Harry Stephen Keeler is a fascinating science fiction tale told through the lens of a future history lesson. Set in the year 3221, a professor recounts the saga of John Jones, a socialist from 1921, who deposited a single dollar. The narrative centers on the unbelievable growth of this dollar through centuries of compounding interest, which transforms into an immense fortune that poses a major problem for Jones’s future family as they face the burden of owing that money back to society. The story builds to a breaking point when Jones’s last descendant fails to produce a male heir, triggering the state to seize the wealth and shift society towards a socialist system. Full of humor and extraordinary events, the story explores the long-term consequences of economics, inheritance, and how one person’s actions can shape the destiny of generations.