money in other cultures

I have had friends sending me websites to read once they found out I was writing a book about money. Some interesting things popped up. Definitions of money are split when they talk about money supply-based on "hard" metals (gold,silver) or on some other commodity or money that is just printed paper backed by law and the ability to pay taxes with it. Other people looked at it in terms of how many calories were spent in earning the money or how many hours of labour was needed for a common item(like a loaf of bread). Some of them are in line with my thinking on the matter, that it is a medium of exchange, tokenism, a bigger-better way to barter.

I say it does not matter what system is in place, if it is based on tobbaco, metal,oxen,goats,large round stones or bits of data in a computer. I guess it does matter to those who hold large amounts of the stuff, what it is based on, but not as far as my writing is concerned. I think if our society had a major downturn like I predict in my book "What Money Can't Buy"( available at www.MJK-private-income.com),the only true common trade good would be hemp. It is the only plant that has a use that anyone can use and the vast majority of people can grow some everywhere man lives (except maybe at the poles and even then it can be grown in special buildings).

For the purposes of this book it does not matter what the currency is as long as the trading of Ideas, Goods or Services are exchanged. It will be a repeated theme that money has no real substance; it is a creation of our minds, a figment of our imagination.

I end here for tonight, till next time...

Michael