Einleitung

Zusammenfassung

Eine trennscharfe Definition des Begriffs „Geld“ zu finden, ist bereits vor dreißig Jahren schwierig erschienen. Boulding beschreibt das grundlegende Dilemma der Geldtheorie auf humorvolle Weise und prognostiziert, daß im Zeitalter der Computer das Geld „an sich“ (gemeint ist wohl physisch „begreifbares“ Bargeld) eines Tages verschwinden wird.

“We must have a good definition of Money,

For if we do not, then what have we got,

But a Quantity Theory of no-one-knows-what,

And this would be almost too true to be funny.

Now, Banks secrete something, as bees secrete honey;

(It sticks to their fingers some, even when hot!)

But what things are liquid and what things are not,

Rests on whether the climate of business is sunny.

For both Stores of Value and Means of Exchange

Include, among Assets, a very wide range,

So your definition’s no better than mine.

Still, with credit-card-clever computers, it’s clear

That money as such will one day disappear;

Then, what isn’t there we won’t have to define.”

Kenneth E. Boulding (1969)