“Show me the coin that pays the census tax” (Mt 22:19): Reflections on the Nature of Money
Jan KŁOS
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , PolandAbstract
This paper seeks to depict the dynamic nature of money as a means of indirect exchange. Mankind passed from a system of barter—that is a direct exchange (one product for another product)—to substitute money for things. It had assumed different forms in the history of economics. Then the Gold Standard was introduced as a guarantee of currency’s stability. When paper money appeared, new opportunities were open for abuse if only connected with the oversupply of money, a fact that caused inflation. At the moment we are dealing with various types of money substitutes, or even cryptocurrencies. The Biblical question about the origin of money makes us aware of what money is and what its relationship is to other values that transcend the material world. Besides, we need the virtue of prudence amongst so many financial opportunities.
Keywords:
John M. Keynes, cryptocurrency, human action, Ludwig von Mises, moneyJohn Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
