No Money

Would it work? Can we live in a world without money? Do we need something in return in order to provide a good or service?

I seem to think that we probably don't actually have to have money to function in our lives.

Looking forward to some serious logic here.

Well either your sounding like everything should be free, or were just going to some type of other bartering system.

Only a person that are 100% totally independent could survive without money, such as building their own home and harvest their own food, gone fishing and foraging.

But, this is modern age. Building a house require permit and permit require cash.
So, obviously we cannot live without money at such a condition.

Dude, that is not what he is talking about. He is talking about... well, living without money, I do this for you, you do that for me in return. Still, I don't think it would work cause people would always find some way to corrupt or something.

In simple theory, yes it could work.

But in the long run, no. Humans are greedy, a clear majority, myself included always want more. You might not think about it that way, but when you walk in a cloth store, you often see clothes you want but can't afford, or a new computer or television perhaps? Instead of donating 100$ to the more needing, most people would buy something they don't really need at all, such as a new shirt, jeans or similar. Let's pretend we live in this world where no money exists, everything is for free. The president of let's say Volvo who makes cars does not have a really hard job, all he does basically is approve or disapprove new products, since he doesn't really have a budget to work with, since everything is for free. But another example, the butcher, an exhausting job, chance to get work damages, demanding for your body etc. Still, both he and all others will eat as much food, drink as much water, even though the butcher does a harder work than let's say a businessman. This is not fair. Nor does it matter, humans are greedy, learn to live with it.

No. People always work for something whether they want it or not. Before money existed, currency existed in the way of goods and services. People would exchange goods or services as a form of currency.

You give me a good supply of food, I'll build you a cart. Etc.

To give something and not recieve in turn is silly. The concept of earning something comes to mind, and life does feel empty when you have things that you have not earned. I think this would be what it would be like without money.

Originally Posted by Linaze

Humans are greedy, a clear majority, myself included always want more.

And what happens to the old stuff?

Originally Posted by Linaze

The president of let's say Volvo who makes cars does not have a really hard job, all he does basically is approve or disapprove new products

Originally Posted by Linaze

But another example, the butcher, an exhausting job, chance to get work damages, demanding for your body etc. Still, both he and all others will eat as much food, drink as much water, even though the butcher does a harder work than let's say a businessman. This is not fair.

There are people that would be butchers because they want to. It's what they like to do. It's not a matter of not being as easy as a business man's job, they just like to be butchers.

Originally Posted by Linaze

learn to live with it.

But what if we don't have to? :D

Originally Posted by brad.dude03

To give something and not recieve in turn is silly.

D:

Originally Posted by brad.dude03

The concept of earning something comes to mind, and life does feel empty when you have things that you have not earned.

I dunno about that. Open-source comes to mind. I think it's more about accomplishment than anything else.

It would put us back in the 17th century, but I guess we could. The fat and nerdy would just die out xD

Originally Posted by HappyTauren

Dude, that is not what he is talking about. He is talking about... well, living without money, I do this for you, you do that for me in return. Still, I don't think it would work cause people would always find some way to corrupt or something.

Well, the existing of the money is to replace the barter system.

Let's said if I want chicken and you have 1, I cannot trade with you if you do not want my item. This is the flaw of barter system, which eventually lead to the invention of money.

Also, the barter system ain't fair enough and hard to be sort through. For example, does it worth it to exchange 1 cow with 7 chicken ?

If we are still living at 17th century, we could even build our house anywhere we want without the requirement of permit. Which is this modern age does, and we know it require money to buy the permit.

You work with people to get something such as food in return, but you would always end up questioning yourself. Does it worth it ? Why not I just take cash ?

So, if you do not want money and want to use barter system to get whatever you want. It would be tough world to live unless you build everything for yourself, even if you do. How are you going to paid the goverment tax without money ?

I don't mean that without money we'd trade goods and service directly, then money would be useful. I'm saying not trading, we just have a lot of crap lying around that somebody else would want. One man's trash is another's treasure.

You brought up livestock. At first it seems like that would be something that people wouldn't be willing to just give up so easily, but are you really going to just let your chicken population explode? There's bound to be a point where you'll just give it away to people that want to eat chicken tonight.

Not actually. People are cruel, bad. They wouldn't really work like that.

Unfortunately, not everytime a person would like to have your item

Let's said I have purchase insurance from somebody, I surely doesn't need any insurance provided by your company.

Originally Posted by Hakeem

I don't mean that without money we'd trade goods and service directly, then money would be useful. I'm saying not trading, we just have a lot of crap lying around that somebody else would want. One man's trash is another's treasure.

You brought up livestock. At first it seems like that would be something that people wouldn't be willing to just give up so easily, but are you really going to just let your chicken population explode? There's bound to be a point where you'll just give it away to people that want to eat chicken tonight.

Why give the chicken you don't need for free, when you can trade it for the firewood you do need? There's bound to be someone who will offer you something useful for it.

Originally Posted by ~Void~

It would put us back in the 17th century, but I guess we could. The fat and nerdy would just die out xD

Exactly.

I wrote a lot in this post, but deleted most of what I wrote, and the more I thought the more I can't guess what would happen. It's a deeper question than I originally thought. The one thing that came to me is the fact that there will always be the wealth and the poor.The idea of possessions and their worth is just part of human nature, and you cant change it. That's why I think communism fails.

Anyways, I have no idea what would happen without paper money. I doubt CEOs would do well. :P

Originally Posted by Gilles

Exactly.

I wrote a lot in this post, but deleted most of what I wrote, and the more I thought the more I can't guess what would happen. It's a deeper question than I originally thought. The one thing that came to me is the fact that there will always be the wealth and the poor.The idea of possessions and their worth is just part of human nature, and you cant change it. That's why I think communism fails.

Anyways, I have no idea what would happen without paper money. I doubt CEOs would do well. :P

Well, I do.

People would take advantage over it, just imagine if barter system is back.

If you are desparade to get cellphone and you have notebook in your hand, I would probably trade my cellphone worth $90 for your notebook worth $3000.