In the course of time a community is divided between
workers who are poor and owners who are rich. Since the rich need not
work in order to live, they and those associated with them may live on
the unearned income derived from property ownership. In a word, they may
become parasitic.
Parasitism may lead to social decay. Generation after generation, the
owners and their dependants may live in comfort or even in luxury while
those who work and their dependents may lack simple necessities. This is
the confrontation of riches and poverty which has played so large a role
in every civilization.
Through the ages, in one civilization after another, the glaring
contrast between riches and poverty has appeared, dividing the community
and laying the foundation for class struggle and class war, both of
which decrease social efficiency, intensify class antagonism.
In the early stages of any culture cycle, barter is replaced by a money
economy. Money is a medium of exchange, usually issued by a public
authority and used in daily transactions, to pay tribute or taxes and to
meet other general expenses. In its earlier forms it is made of
relatively scarce materials that are in general demand, limited in
supply and easily divisible into smaller units. Gold, silver and other
metals meet these requirements and have been used as money through the
ages.
Cash money and promises to pay speed up wholesale and retail exchanges
in the market place.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141