The Evolution of Money (Contents)
Part A — Foundations of Money and Early Exchange 1 — The Concept and Functions of Money 2 — Barter…
Category: The Evolution of Money
1 — The Concept and Functions of Money
Part A — Foundations of Money and Early Exchange Money is one of the most significant inventions in human history,…
2 — Barter Systems in Prehistoric Societies (c. 9000 BCE – 3000 BCE)
Part A — Foundations of Money and Early Exchange Before the development of formal money, human societies relied on barter…
3 — Commodity Money in Ancient Civilisations (c. 3000 BCE – 600 BCE)
Part B — Commodity Money and Early Coinage With the expansion of trade and complexity in early societies, commodity money…
4 — The Advent of Coined Money (c. 600 BCE – 500 CE)
Part B — Commodity Money and Early Coinage The introduction of coinage marked a fundamental shift in monetary systems, combining…
5 — Paper Money and Credit in Early Trade (7th – 15th Century)
Part C — Paper Money and the Rise of Banking The emergence of paper money and early credit systems represents…
6 — The Development of Modern Banking (15th – 18th Century)
Part C — Paper Money and the Rise of Banking The period from the 15th to 18th centuries witnessed the…
7 — The Gold Standard and Global Trade (19th Century)
Part D — Gold Standard and Fiat Money The 19th century was characterised by the adoption of the gold standard,…
8 — Fiat Money and Modern Monetary Systems (20th Century)
Part D — Gold Standard and Fiat Money The 20th century marked the transition from gold-backed currency to fiat money,…
9 — Digital Payments and Financial Globalisation (Late 20th – Early 21st Century)
Part E — Digital and Decentralised Finance The late 20th and early 21st centuries witnessed a technological transformation in money…
10 — Cryptocurrencies and Decentralised Finance (2009 – Present)
Part E — Digital and Decentralised Finance The advent of cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance (DeFi) represents one of the most…
11 — AI-Driven Financial Systems (2010s – Future)
Part F — AI and the Future of Money The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into financial systems represents the…
12 — The Evolution of Money: Lessons and Future Trajectories
Part G — Conclusion The historical journey of money—from prehistoric barter systems to AI-driven financial ecosystems—reflects humanity’s continuous quest for…