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by ahomescu1 3927 days ago
Anything that is valuable, fungible and divisible could be used as money (you could even use barrels of oil). For examples, see [1]. Again, a great contemporary example is Bitcoin (not sure why you're ignoring that, it's a great example of money that exists in spite of government, not because of it).

Perhaps what you're referring to is legal tender, which indeed requires a government to exist. However, not all money is legal tender (for example, euros are not legal tender in the US, afaik).

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_money
1 comments
littletimmy 3927 days ago
Bitcoin exists in a system that is supported by the state. Money requires the state. You're thinking in very limited terms. Think broadly: in a society which does not have security guaranteed by the state, there will be no economic systems.

Historically, states and credit-based money came first. THEN came the unit of account and medium of exchange money that you are talking about.

Going back to the original point, can you go to a deserted island and make "money"? No. You need society. You need government. You need an economic system. The money is only partially "yours".

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ahomescu1 3927 days ago
> Historically, states and credit-based money came first. THEN came the unit of account and medium of exchange money that you are talking about.

Actually, the Wikipedia page on "fiat money" (if that's what you're referring to) says: "Fiat money originated in 11th century China" [1]. There were many commodity currencies before that.

> Going back to the original point, can you go to a deserted island and make "money"? No. You need society. You need government. You need an economic system. The money is only partially "yours".

That's if there is only one person on that island. If more people live on the island, they might start trading services and use some some improvised currency, e.g., coconuts or seashells. In this case, you have a society and money, but not necessarily a government.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_money#History

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littletimmy 3927 days ago
> Actually, the Wikipedia page on "fiat money" (if that's what you're referring to) says: "Fiat money originated in 11th century China" [1].

I'm referring to ledgers of credit. They originated in Mesopotamia, thousands of years ago. Check out the book "Debt" by David Graeber.

> That's if there is only one person on that island. If more people live on the island, they might start trading services and use some some improvised currency, e.g., coconuts or seashells. In this case, you have a society and money, but not necessarily a government.

See, that's completely untrue. What is actually going to happen is that multiple people on that society are going to bludgeon each other to death once there are enough people to constitute a society.

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