Difference between revisions of "Money"
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'''Money''' is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or [[country]] where it is used. | '''Money''' is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or [[country]] where it is used. | ||
| − | Money fundamentally represents a quanity of labor. [[Adam Smith]], writing in 1776, said "a quantity of labor is difficult for many people to understand," however anyone who has ever drawn a paycheck in the 21st century and examined the number of hours worked should have no problem grasping the concept. [[Aristotle]] said money | + | Money fundamentally represents a quanity of labor. [[Adam Smith]], writing in 1776, said "a quantity of labor is difficult for many people to understand," however anyone who has ever drawn a paycheck in the 21st century and examined the number of hours worked should have no problem grasping the concept. [[Aristotle]] said money represents how many shoes a shoe cobbler must make to equal the labor of the carpenter who built his house.<ref>All prices are ratios, for example 1 gal. of gasoline = $2.89, expressed as 1:2.89.</ref> Money is a fiction used to express the exchange of equal quantities of labor. |
A failure to understand what money is results in the success of [[socialism]]. For example. Rep. [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] has proposed "free" healthcare, education, housing etc., essentially promoting the non-sensical idea that people have the right to consume goods and services that have never been produced by labor. Alternstively, to implement such an impractical system, by law, only results in one group laborers perform work for they will not be paid for which another group of consumers reviebe the payment or benefit. In short, a [[slave]] system. | A failure to understand what money is results in the success of [[socialism]]. For example. Rep. [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] has proposed "free" healthcare, education, housing etc., essentially promoting the non-sensical idea that people have the right to consume goods and services that have never been produced by labor. Alternstively, to implement such an impractical system, by law, only results in one group laborers perform work for they will not be paid for which another group of consumers reviebe the payment or benefit. In short, a [[slave]] system. | ||
Revision as of 10:48, November 24, 2018
Money is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or country where it is used.
Money fundamentally represents a quanity of labor. Adam Smith, writing in 1776, said "a quantity of labor is difficult for many people to understand," however anyone who has ever drawn a paycheck in the 21st century and examined the number of hours worked should have no problem grasping the concept. Aristotle said money represents how many shoes a shoe cobbler must make to equal the labor of the carpenter who built his house.[1] Money is a fiction used to express the exchange of equal quantities of labor.
A failure to understand what money is results in the success of socialism. For example. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has proposed "free" healthcare, education, housing etc., essentially promoting the non-sensical idea that people have the right to consume goods and services that have never been produced by labor. Alternstively, to implement such an impractical system, by law, only results in one group laborers perform work for they will not be paid for which another group of consumers reviebe the payment or benefit. In short, a slave system.
The currency which serves as money may be backed by some tangible commodity, such as the gold standard, or may be fiat money, such as Federal Reserve notes. Alternatively, trade may be carried on using commodity pay, wherein existing commodities are assigned exchange values but not explicitly designated as money.
Contents
The Development of Money
The earliest discovered forms of money were easily carried items with some inherent value, such as salt (used in ancient Rome) and fishhooks (used by American Indians). This replaced or supplemented pre-existing barter systems. Precious metals, such as copper, gold, and silver, have made good coins, being both easily transportable and having inherent value. In 1933, the United States abandoned the gold standard,[2] switching over to fiat currency, which has no inherent value beyond the government's assurance that it has value.
Money Neutrality and the Money Market
Money may be viewed as neutral or non-neutral regarding the real economy; it is disputed whether changes in the money market cause changes in real markets. The money market itself consists of a money supply (typically fixed for any given period) and a demand function for money. Because the quantity of money is typically exogenously given, the only variable determined in the money market is the price of money.
External links
- "Purchasing Power of Money in the United States from 1774 to 2008", translates the value of a dollar in one year to the value today or any year
See also
- Currency
- Fiat currency
- Precious metal
- Gold standard
- Gold and Silver
- Inflation hedge
- Science and money
References
- ↑ All prices are ratios, for example 1 gal. of gasoline = $2.89, expressed as 1:2.89.
- ↑ The Gold Standard
