The Institution of Money: An Introduction

By examining the reasons for the introduction of money into a non-money-using or ‘barter’ economy, we shall come to appreciate the nature of money, the functions it performs and the economic significance of its use. This exercise will also provide the necessary background for an examination of the characteristics of a monetary economy and a starting-point for subsequent discussion of the Keynesian Revolution and the attacks made upon it by its principal critics. Ultimately it will provide the basis for an understanding of money’s role in a broader social and political context.