Introduction

This chapter introduces an agnostic and comparative approach to the history of monetary thought, rejecting partisan interpretations and emphasizing a relativistic framework for analyzing competing theories. It argues that monetary theories must be understood within their historical contexts, as diverse economic realities generate multiple valid perspectives. This chapter outlines the book’s structure, including methodological foundations, historical background, and a taxonomy for classifying monetary theories beyond traditional schools. It highlights limitations, such as the focus on currency and credit money and the restriction to pre-Keynesian authors. The introduction positions this book as a systematic comparison of monetary theories rather than a synthesis or endorsement of any single approach.