[p2p-research] excellent contribution on flow money by Martien van Steenbergen

[Dmytri Kleiner]

On Tue, 26 May 2009, Ryan Lanham wrote:

> Second, you say we made the rules for money once, we can remake them again...This I am
> having trouble with.  When did we "make" the rules for money?  Is it not a more
> spontaneous self-ordering ecosystem?   There were dozens of currencies in the Colonial
> US plus Sterling plus Spanish money, etc.  Money happens. 


As I understand it, Money as in state-issued legal tender originated for
the purposes of exacting tribute in ancient times, and did not become a
common means of market exchange until the industrial revolution.

Previously, even though money was known and available, goods where always 
traded primarly on-account, kin-communal/gift, or barter, as continues 
in many parts of the world today where money is scarce.

The adoption of money as a means of market exchange was imposed by the
state as a part of the imposition of capitalist social relations.

For more info see Kieth Hart, Glyn Davis, etc.

Producing, sharing and trading happens, Money is imposed by state
violence.

As for "hoarding," I highly recomend the essay Robinson Crusue by Sylvio
Gessel

Here is the Manga version:

http://www.appropriate-economics.org/ebooks/crusoe/ROBDE_01.htm

Cheers.




-- 
Dmytri Kleiner, aspiring crank

http://www.telekommunisten.net