Money In Crisis

"From the temples of ancient Mesopotamia to the mints of Greece and Rome; from China's early banknotes to Renaissance banks; from the printing presses of the ancien râegime to modern central banks; from global finance, through financial crises, to the computer rooms where cryptocurrency miners seek illusory value from waves and microparticles. The authors walk us through the history, theory and evolving technologies underlying money in a way appealing to both general readers and specialists of the field. They warn us that money is in crisis: under threat from inflation, financial instability, and digital wizardry. Money is a social construct: a way to support and bind together a democratic society in the interest of all. At its best, money has been in the past and should always remain a simple, stable, friendly, and recognizable tool to measure the value of things we need, produce, possess, and exchange"--