Question

Functions of money and barterConsider an economy in which money does not exist, so that agents rely on barter to carry out transactions. When the economy was small, barter seemed sufficient. However, the economy has now begun to grow.If people in this economy trade three goods, the price tag of each good must list ______________?prices, and the economy requires____________?prices for people to carry out transactions.Suppose that the number of goods people trade increases to 15. Then the price tag of each good must list _________?prices, and the number of prices that the economy requires increases to____________?Now suppose that our economy has a money. The government now issues a national currency and there is no longer any barter.In this economy, money and currency are not the same because:1. The fact that the government issues currency means that the currency will be accepted as money by all agents.2. The fact that the currency is backed by the government means that it will never lose value and will remain a perfect unit of account.3. Just because the government issues currency does not mean that the currency will be accepted as money, since it must be used as a medium of exchange, store of value and standard of value.4. Just because the government issues currency does not mean that the currency will be accepted as money, and buyers and sellers still need barter to ensure that money does not lose its value.Suppose now that our economy is suffering from rapid, ongoing increases in the cost of living. Which characteristic of money is directly negatively impacted in that economy?1. Medium of exchange2. Double coincidence of wants3. Store of value4. Unit of account

Answer 1

Money and Barter System

a. 9 prices

b. 9 prices

c. 225 prices

d. 225

e. 2. The fact that the government issues currency means that the currency will be accepted as money by all agents.

f. The characteristic or quality of money that is directly negatively impacted in that economy by the rapid, ongoing increases in the cost of living is the:

3. Store of value.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before the governments started to mint money or currency, the barter system was the system of exchanging goods and services between two people. The barter system relied on the exchange of goods and services that were required by one person if she could find another person who possessed the goods or services and was willing to accept or actually needed the goods or services that the first person had. The exchange system was complicated, involving the location of the other party in the barter transaction.