15. The Invention of Money

In its earliest form , trade consisted of a simple bartering system , exchanging one type of goods for another. For example, a person who owned many chickens might exchange some of his chickens for another product, of which he did not have enough . This helped to ensure an adequate distribution of goods and services in the community. There are ,however, a number of problems in this system which make it impractical in a complex, advanced society. For one thing , as trade expanded beyond the confines of the local community, the inconvenience of transporting trade goods from one place to another became obvious. Also ,as the range of products and services broadened ,it was increasingly difficult to agree on their worth. Thus, it became necessary to establish a unit of exchange that was widely accepted, had a fixed value , could be transported and exchanged easily, and was not subject to spoilage as were perishable(易腐烂的)trade goods. Of course, I am referring to the invention of money . This remarkable device allowed trade to expand into the international sphere, and simplified and enhanced the exchange of goods, services, and ideas within society. It is my belief that the invention ofmoney was an essential step on the road to civilization, without which the modern society could not have come into being.