透过货币起源和发展探讨货币的本质

A Study of the Essence of Currency from Its Origin and Social Development

本文通过分析货币的起源,认为货币有两条主要的发展路线,其一是由物物交换发展为利用一般等价物交换,一般等价物后固定为金银,然后发展出铸币;另一条路线是由生殖崇拜物贝壳发展到仿制贝壳,再到铸币。从这两种发展路线说明价值的两种来源:实用价值和精神价值;两种价值都产生了铸币。本文认为在历史上货币价值的产生早于信用的产生。由货币的发展过程说明本质上货币是价值和信用的复合体,起初人们看重的是价值,后来价值的成分逐渐减少而信用成分逐渐增加,最终发展成为纯信用货币。

Based on the analysis of the origin of currency,this article argues the two paths of currency development.In many cultures,transaction is done through barter originally,and then universal equivalent came into being as the media of exchange.Later gold and silver was widely accepted to be universal equivalent,and then the coinage establishment;while in other cultures,coinage is developed from the procreation worship shells to generic shells.After studying the original paths of the coins,this article discusses the double sides of currency value：the practical value the spiritual value,both of which cause the coinage.The paper holds that the value of currency emerged earlier than the birth of credit,and illustrates that the development process of currency shows that the essence of currency is a compound of value and credit.At the beginning people exchange with the value of currency itself;and with the development of society,people exchanged with the credit that currency represents,and pure credit currency came into being.