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What do we call money? An appraisal of the money or non-money view

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  • Frasser, Cristian
  • Guzmán, Gabriel

Abstract

Part of the debate fueled by cryptocurrencies has revolved around the question of what we call money. This paper identifies two traditions in monetary theory that have tried to answer that question. On the one hand, the money or non-money view follows a strategy proposed by a version of philosophical essentialism, in which there is a set of defining characteristics of money that make it categorically different from other things used in transactions. On the other hand, the liquidity degree view emphasizes that the multiple objects that circulate as a means of payment differ in their degree of acceptability. Since there is no absolute standard of liquidity, a precise dividing line between money and non-money cannot be drawn. We challenge the money or non-money view, arguing that there is nothing in the nature of money that can be interpreted as a natural kind essence by which money can be categorically separated from non-money.

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  • Frasser, Cristian & Guzmán, Gabriel, 2020. "What do we call money? An appraisal of the money or non-money view," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(1), pages 25-40, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jinsec:v:16:y:2020:i:1:p:25-40_3
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    1. Frasser, Cristian & Guzmán, Gabriel, 2024. "The Plurality of Economic Classifications: Toward a New Strategy for Their Investigation," MPRA Paper 121166, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Murau, Steffen & Rini, Joe & Haas, Armin, 2020. "The evolution of the Offshore US-Dollar System: past, present and four possible futures," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(6), pages 767-783, December.
    3. Suchánek Marián, 2024. "Not all money is created equal: The concept of a hierarchy of money," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 24(2-3), pages 57-74.
    4. Levulytė, Laura & Šapkauskienė, Alfreda, 2021. "Cryptocurrency in context of fiat money functions," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 44-54.
    5. Luther, William J. & Stein Smith, Sean, 2020. "Is Bitcoin a decentralized payment mechanism?," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(4), pages 433-444, August.

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    JEL classification:

    • B00 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - General - - - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • E49 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Other

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