Final answer:
Money, by facilitating trade and specialization, can lead to a higher standard of living and allow economies to grow which potentially improves the quality of life. Comparative advantage is influenced by productivity levels, education, specialized knowledge, and not solely by the existence of money. Enlightenment thinkers realized that wealth creation was possible beyond the finite limits proposed by mercantilism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The existence of money as a medium of exchange has greatly facilitated the process of specialization where individuals, businesses, or countries focus on producing particular goods or services which they can do more efficiently than others. This specialization allows for economies of scale and can lead to a more efficient allocation of resources. As a result, it can indeed contribute to a higher standard of living as economies grow and become more productive. Money itself addresses the issue of the double coincidence of wants inherent in barter systems, making trade more straightforward and extensive. Regarding the comparative advantage, it is determined by several factors including productivity levels, education of workers, specialized knowledge, and economies of scale, not by monetary existence. In the Enlightenment period, thinkers did indeed reject the mercantilist notion that wealth is finite, understanding instead that economic activities could generate new wealth.