You can often hear from people around you that money is not the most important thing in their life; it is not where happiness lies. After all, many people live and are content only with what they have and do not strive for financial heights. Is it really?

The role of money in human life

The bills themselves are not as important as the opportunities they can give us. And the main opportunity is freedom.

First of all, money is financial freedom. Having enough of them, you can do your favorite thing. Work and enjoy it, not for the sake of survival. When a person has financial freedom and is not a slave to a salary, this gives him the opportunity to set serious and large-scale goals and realize himself.

Financial freedom brings other joys, a person feels satisfied and happy. True happiness can be achieved if you are in harmony with what you do.

Money is the freedom of time that comes after financial freedom. Those who have free time can afford to rest and disconnect from current affairs for any period of time. Income grows and works for you, regardless of what a person does. A free person chooses his own work schedule.

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When you gain time freedom and financial freedom, you gain relationship freedom. If you have money and free time, you can enjoy communication with family and friends, because you are a free person, unlike most people who need to run and earn money. The same applies to spiritual freedom, without which you will not feel joy, happiness and harmony in life.

And of course, don’t forget about physical freedom. Many fascinating and interesting views sports require a lot of time and financial investment. This applies to medical services, quality nutrition, and the necessary attributes for a healthy life.

These are the main reasons that encourage you to value financial freedom.

IN modern world there is no greater power than money. Money starts wars and ensures the well-being of entire countries and regions. The vast majority of crimes are committed because of money or with the use of money. And at the same time, thanks to money, people create the greatest inventions, perform feats, discover new lands and conquer new worlds.

Money organizes modern society and the state. Life is subject to money modern people, states and the entire world community.

Money is an outstanding achievement of humanity. They created modern civilization. Without money, a person would still dress in animal skins, and would use animals or their own kind turned into slaves as labor.

Could a person go into space, create artificial intelligence and other wonders of modern civilization if there was no money?

Two of man's greatest inventions created modern civilization. The first is writing, which separated man from the animal world and created the possibility of accumulating experience and knowledge and transmitting it to descendants and other people without direct human contact. The second is money. Money has created the ability to control the activities of man and society in terms of ensuring their benefits without direct influence of people on each other.

The role of money in history has constantly increased, and now our civilization has reached a state where its importance has become completely decisive. A hundred, even fifty years ago there were large human communities that did not know money or used it in their daily lives in an extremely limited way. The end of the 20th century is the era of complete and total “moneyization” of the entire human community. In the modern world, a person cannot live without money just like without water, air and food. In today's society, a person who does not have money is literally doomed to death, and in as soon as possible. He can walk around the city, where the shops are full of food, and die of hunger if he has no money.

Or another example. Let's imagine a large plant equipped with modern equipment, where qualified workers and other specialists, raw materials, and consumers expect the products of this enterprise. And yet the enterprise stands still and does not work. And the only reason is that there are no numbers in some mysterious bank computer - there is no money in the company’s account.

Even a desert, “watered” with money, will bloom and turn into the Garden of Eden. And the most beautiful place to live, devoid of money, will become a vale of sorrow and suffering.

What life becomes like for people in the modern world without money can be clearly seen in the example of Kampuchea during the time of Pol Pot. Three million dead - this is the price of the experiment to eliminate money.

Society can be controlled either by force or by money.

We know well from our own experience how the mechanism of social and economic life is destroyed when the monetary system is disrupted. The consequence of this was a general crisis of the country, which affected the state, economic, social, legal and other spheres of life.

Money for us is a way to express our aspirations, fulfill obligations, achieve revenge and retribution. The secret power of money binds us all - brothers and sisters, young and old - with bonds of love and envy, pity and malice.

Money leaves no one indifferent. Some are convinced that if they more money, their life would become much better, and they would be able to find happiness. Others who have a lot of money seem to be constantly worried about how to get even more of it, how to spend it and not lose it. Money leaves no one indifferent, and you can hardly find a person who would be satisfied with how much money he has and how he uses it.

The poor have very different concerns than the rich, but family conflicts caused by money are often very similar across socioeconomic strata. For most of us, money is so woven into our lives that problems associated with it affect our health, our intimate relationships, and our relationships with our children and parents. This is a problem that is always with us.

Money is not just cash that allows us to buy different things. Having money, you can buy education, health, safety. You can buy time to enjoy beauty, art, the company of friends, adventure. With money, we help those we love and provide greater opportunities for our children. Having money, you can buy goods and services or save this opportunity for the future or for your descendants. Money is an instrument of justice with which we compensate for the harm done to others. Fair distribution of money in the family and in society ensures equal opportunities for everyone. Money can serve as a symbol of all the good things in life: material wealth, education, health, beauty, entertainment, love and justice.

Although we know how many good things in life come from money, each of us is very familiar with the problems that it creates. Money worries can cause a lot of grief. Wealth often seems to bear the mark of a curse and brings more misfortunes than joys. Many of us give ourselves over to the bitterest despair because we earn too little, or are afraid that lack of money will make us or our children ill. Money is not only a symbol of everything good in life, but also the root of all our problems.

Everyone understands that money is often the cause of happiness or sorrow, but in almost all sectors of society there is a universal taboo on any talk about our personal regard to money. It is considered bad manners to talk about what it costs, who earns how much, and who has how much money. Therefore, money is very rarely a topic of open discussion between parents and children, husband and wife, brothers and sisters, friends, or even between a therapist and his patient.

Money is a type of energy, the driving force of our civilization. A similar situation arose in the course of human development only recently; It wasn't always like this. In the past, the source of energy that fueled interactions between people was land or livestock, or slaves, or natural resources (water, salt, iron), or weapons. And although people have always used one thing as the main source of energy - one thing or one natural resource - none of these things or resources could turn into that colossal mechanism, which in our time is money - the only thing that permeates all aspects of human life and constitutes the main element of modern culture. Today money is the energy that moves the world.

Money is something dirty. The first person to realize that money has hidden meanings was Freud. However, he only saw their negative side. For him, money symbolized excrement and was associated with something disgusting and despicable. Perhaps this is why it is not customary to talk about money in most strata of society.

Freud rebelled against the hypocrisy of the mainstream religion of the Victorian era with its condemnation of what were considered the "base" parts of human nature: the body, sexuality and material desires. He broke the taboo that prohibited viewing sex as an important part of human life. However, Freud did not do the same with money - perhaps because he believed that the desire for money is not an original, infantile impulse, or perhaps because in Freud's time money had not yet become the universal source of energy that it is today, - the only symbol that personifies any desires.

The taboo that prevents money from taking its place in our understanding of human nature still remains in force. Even therapists who don't hesitate to touch on all sorts of issues related to sex and power rarely touch on anything to do with money. They expressed almost no wise thoughts on how to treat the important role of money in personal development. Most people never think to consult a therapist when they are overwhelmed by financial conflicts. However, perhaps more marriages fail due to disagreements over money than for any other reason. Money resentment is probably the most important of all the problems that create alienation between parent and child, brother and sister.

For today's world, money means the same thing that in the Middle Ages it meant the salvation of the soul. The most important wars of the 20th century were fought not over religion, but over money. The question remains: whether there is a place for spirituality in our modern understanding of people. And if so, how does spirituality relate to money?

In the past, organized religion regulated the relationship between our spiritual commitments and material desires. As spirituality ceased to be an important element of our self, our sense of self became increasingly determined by material desires, greed and addictions. The balance was upset, and material motivations got out of control.

Today money is the main reflection of the material world, that “low” world, the roots of which go to the physical needs of our body, to lusts and fears. Spirituality is a reflection of our best qualities, the ability to feel sorry for others, the “higher” world of searching for the meaning of life, the desire for unity and community.

Money can also be one of the elements that makes manifestations of spirituality possible. They allow us to have compassion, to give back, to “love our neighbor.” However, the pursuit of money for selfish purposes is contrary to spiritual values. Where is the line between self-love and love for others? Answering this question means resolving the dilemma of our dual nature.

In today's society, money - the energy that moves the world - acts as a bargaining chip that serves to satisfy all desires. The desire for money is reflected in the desire to have a Porsche (a Porsche, not just a car to drive); the need to own a country house (namely a country house, and not just a roof over your head); the need to enjoy cakes and sweets (and not just satisfy hunger). The thirst for money is an artificial need that personifies all other artificial needs - to be slim and beautiful, and not just healthy and strong; be influential and admired, not just have a good job; the need to communicate deeply, not just have a good time.

All these are artificial needs, and the symbolic thirst for money personifies the irresistible desire to satisfy them. To acquire all these things, we offer in exchange our bodies, our time, our love and our peace of mind.

In the lives of many people, money turns out to be the main bargaining chip of love. When we love someone, we try to get something from him and at the same time give something to him. This duality of purpose is what gives the problems of love such complexity. Money also influences our character, making us either selfish or altruistic. But if it is possible to love and at the same time be loved, then when it comes to money, we often have to choose between selfishness and altruism.

For each of us, money constitutes a special inner world, a hidden life that may not appear outwardly. There may be a secret miser or philanthropist inside each of us. We are tormented by painful feelings of guilt or unfulfilled desires. Happiness and sorrow are part of the secret meaning of money. Everyone approaches money differently, and for many of us, this attitude determines the nature of all our other relationships. We have seen that the secret meaning of money can be refracted into different dimensions and has a wide range of manifestations, even to the most extreme. For example, money can be used to express hostility or love, to help people or to exploit them. The nature of our relationships with others depends on what exactly we want to express through money.

What is now being talked about at all meetings of parliament and government, at meetings with the president, in tens of thousands of newspaper articles, in numerous television programs... about the lack of money.

But if you think about it, this cannot but cause surprise. Ten years ago, the country’s budget was characterized by amounts of tens of billions of rubles, and at the same time there was constant talk about the lack of money. Now the budget bill runs into hundreds of trillions. And again we hear about a catastrophic lack of money. And if the budget is millions of trillions. Interestingly, then they will say that there is enough money. Until recently, we received salaries of one hundred or two hundred rubles and were happy. Now even a pensioner receives thousands of rubles and complains about the lack of money. And if he receives a hundred million, are we sure that he will become richer?

Thus, it is not a matter of the amount of money, but something completely different. The point is, first of all, in the system of functioning of money. But the amount of money in itself is a secondary issue.

This is why it is important to know and understand how money functions in modern society.

Unfortunately, this knowledge is often hidden from society. People who control society through money are not at all eager to share their knowledge in this area with the public. On the contrary, in this area myths are deliberately created and misinformation is prepared, public attention is diverted to all sorts of secondary issues from truly important points.

money credit non-cash check

COMPOSITION

The role of money in our life

Vorontsova Margarita

student of grade 9 B, Municipal Educational Institution “Secondary School No. 26”, Nakhodka

Teacher

Kurdyukova Galina Nikolaevna

Nakhodka

2011

The role of money in our life

Making a lot of money is courage,

And spending skillfully is an art.

Folk wisdom.

Money in our lives... a very interesting question and very complex.

Historically, money arose for the convenience of settlements in trade. Gradually they began to turn into an end in themselves. And now, no matter how we treat it, money plays an important role in people's lives. In themselves they do not carry any evil or good. If money serves only as a means of payment, then it simply fulfills its function. But, if money becomes not a means, but an end, then troubles begin. They very often become the subject of speculation, theft, robbery and other atrocities. It is money that today has become the expression of material wealth. Now money has become so firmly established in our reality that we don’t even think about what it is? What is their role in life?

Having money, we can implement various interesting projects, get a good education, and make our lives more comfortable and safe. Money plays a very important role in our lives. They determine a person’s status, his position in society, and success. Sometimes it seems like the whole world revolves around money. They influence all areas of human life. We constantly hear about money from our parents and friends. Problems related to them are actively discussed on television and radio programs. Therefore, money influences the process of personality development, character, behavior, actions and lifestyle of a person. They determine how relationships between people will develop.

Each of us has our own attitude towards money; we perceive its presence or absence differently. An unhealthy relationship with money can cause problems. People say that money can “buy” everything. But then, how much do love for family and loved ones, friendship, health and, finally, human life cost?

I used to think, why is a person unhappy when he has a lot of money? If I had a lot of money, I would be happy! But as I grew older, I began to look at money with different eyes. I realized that money does not buy happiness.

Yes, I can buy my sister a toy or ice cream, but I can’t buy her love for me. I can get good advice from my beloved friend without any money.

My classmates often ask the question: “How much money do you need to be happy?” The answer seems simple, but at the same time complex. There is no definite answer. Some people need a lot, while others need nothing at all. Can you buy happiness?

Having money, you need to know how to handle it. Many people are awkward with money: some are excessively wasteful, while others are tight-fisted. And sometimes frugality comes to stinginess, then they remind us of the stingy knight from the tragedy of the same name by A.S. Pushkin. There is extravagance that tries to benefit others, counting on reciprocal support. Such people are similar to Khlestakov from N.V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”.

The topic of money is always relevant and constantly present in our lives. Money is just a means that allows you to live fully, maybe not for everyone, but for the majority of the population. They also influence a person’s inner world, his dreams, his attitude towards the world around him and himself. Money has a certain energy. They can be used for good deeds, and then they will bring a lot of good to this world, and if they are used for evil, then their destructive effect can cause a lot of harm not only to strangers, but also to the owners of money.

In order to become rich, you need to put in a lot of effort. I think it is determination and ambition that will help achieve this goal. A person who is passionate about a goal can make an excellent career and build his financial well-being.

Many problems in our lives can be easily solved with the help of money. Solvable for those who have them. But what about those who don’t have them? I mean the sick, the disabled, the elderly. How can they survive, who need medicine and good food? It is difficult to give wise advice, to find the right words. How I want people to not need anything! Our state tries to provide help to such people, but this help is so small, and it does not always come to the person for whom it is intended. And poor people leave life without waiting for it. Much, of course, depends on the mercy of others. In recent years, many wealthy people have appeared in our country who transfer money to charitable foundations. I know that there are such people in our village. I would like money to become a symbol of beauty: kindness, mutual assistance, love.

I really want the money to disappear

All wealth would disappear from the earth,

And people would become people again

And again we found happiness.

The topic of money is one of the most painful topics in modern society, accompanied by psychosis, conflicts and mental disorders. For a long time, the “person-money” connection was considered from the point of view of the cultural sciences, but recent studies have confirmed that biological mechanisms of brain function take place in this chain. This is how a still young branch of science appeared - . And in connection with the rapidly developing disease of the century - depression, psychotherapists have yet to discover various forms of “money madness”. What does money symbolize in our lives and what lengths are we willing to go to for it? Let's consider the points of view of psychologists, anthropologists and sociologists.

The meaning and meaning of money

In my childhood there was no prejudice towards money, however, there was no money as such, but there were savings books and social guarantees. All my friends wore the same cotton dresses, dreaming of Adidas jeans, but they sewed “bananas” and were happy about buying “malvinas”. They didn’t think about money: if you study well, you’ll get a good job, and if you excel at work, you’ll have a chance for an apartment and a car. What did we know then about the magic of these green and orange rustling pieces of paper?

And once upon a time there were no banknotes at all, people exchanged goods, household items and products. According to psychologists, money in itself does not mean anything, what is important is what stands behind it. Homo sapiens invests coins with power, mistakenly assuming that the despised metal subjugates him. In fact, this is an illusion; man himself attributes this ability to money. The meaning of money is in your personal relationship with it. The economic consciousness of Russians is a rapidly changing process that eludes objective assessment, so it is not easy for anthropologists to complete the theory of its formation.

Along with social and financial attitudes, the behavior and habits of citizens have changed over the course of many centuries in Russia. Changes depended on the rhythm of work, forms of rest, degree of consumption, distribution of items of expenditure and income and, accordingly, on socio-economic roles within the family. The ideology of everyday modesty and intense work for the benefit of society, which exists in the Soviet Union, is replaced after perestroika by trends of increasing consumption with an emphasis on professionalism and high earnings. Values have also changed: the post-Soviet addiction to expensive and high-quality clothing, newfangled technology and luxury goods is gradually being replaced by investing in education, improving the health of each family member, sports and travel. A person’s social status, which previously depended on his profession, is now determined by the nature of his leisure time. The impression of a person is formed by what clubs he visits and on what islands he vacations.

The amount of money divided society into several layers: the rich class, the middle class and the innovation of the time - the “new poor”. The latter in the former socialist countries are well educated, once had a permanent job, hoping for a secure old age, but after the reforms they lost everything, unable to restore their status. According to the World Bank (World Bank, 2000), in Russia every fifth resident is poor, living on $2.15 a day. The middle class includes teachers, doctors, middle managers, trade workers, all those on whom the world rests. These are hard workers who, after the reform, managed to stay afloat, master new opportunities, retrain, change jobs, sometimes combining different positions. Along with economic reforms in Russia, attitudes towards work and earnings changed. The meaning of money has become specific for each class: for some it is a symbol of power and omnipotence, for others it is a means of survival.

Psychology of money

The psychology of money is still a little-studied discipline. Changeable trends and stratification of society do not yet allow us to create a unified picture for everyone. According to most psychologists, money is an indicator of significance and provides an opportunity not only to survive, but also to express oneself. A person expresses himself through material things. The symbol of social well-being are those objects that are visible, therefore, to the question: “Who am I?” answer with a Rolex watch, a jacket Dolce & Gabbana, by car Mercedes- Benz, vacation on the Cote d'Azur. If in Western countries a person is mainly judged by the presence of real estate, yachts, cars, then the average Russian communicates about himself through clothing. That is why we wear high heels to pick up potatoes and wear mink coats to the bathhouse. It depends on the internal culture and self-esteem which attributes a person prefers - a colorful carnival costume or practical jeans.

Despite the fact that money is publicly despised, it is still considered one of the most important things in the world. At the same time, the issue of salary is hushed up and is considered one of the most indecent. The largest number of neuroses are associated with money, although in themselves they are the same artifact as a bicycle or a radio, no more, no less, but the functions of banknotes are diverse. They can be used both to express distrust and to promote healthy, constructive behavior. Money is often used to establish control, atone for guilt, compensate for damage caused, delineate boundaries in relationships, and express emotions. Money tension is accompanied by love and hatred, greed and generosity, envy and sacrifice. For the sake of money, people are ready to commit both the most serious crimes and heroic deeds. It depends on what meaning is put into them.

The profane and sacred meaning of money

At first glance, banknotes are understood as a means of exchange, but taking a closer look at the behavior of collectors, philanthropists, and gift givers, one can ascertain a certain sacred meaning. Foreign researchers Russell Belk and Melanie Wallendorf (Belk & Wallendorf, 1990) distinguish the profane and sacred meaning of money. The profane tend to serve their exchange for material objects. Sacred objects cannot be exchanged for money, otherwise they lose their sacred status. Voluntary free work for the benefit of society can also be considered sacred. Thus, payment for raising children is not acceptable, since it profanes a sacred duty. The area of the sacred includes: work done with passion, gifts, selfless help, items received by inheritance, personal collections . The purpose of sacralization is to endow objects with a special meaning that is not subject to pragmatic understanding. However, the sacred can turn into the profane in the case of re-gifting or exchanging a gift, for example. Money can personify good and evil, have a secret and obvious meaning, influence both spiritual development of man and moral degradation.

Gender differences in attitudes towards money

The role of women has changed significantly since the revolution. If previously household chores were valued for productivity (sewing, knitting, cooking), then in Soviet times, when consumer products filled the shelves, they became “unproductive” and depreciated. The man worked in the public sphere, produced and increased national wealth, so his work was valued and paid according to its merits. While the woman, personifying a caring mother and wife, produced nothing and was viewed as a useless, profane consumer.

According to the results of research by American sociologist Vivian Zelitzer, a man’s work outside the home is seen as a sacred act of “getting his daily bread.” The earnings of a woman running a household: sewing, selling agricultural products, cleaning, etc., are perceived as profane. The contradiction between social arrangements and the economic situation caused ideological pressure on women. Having learned to drive tractors, build bridges and lead people during the war years, women were forced to change their status in society, proving their sacred significance.

The image of a caring mother and housewife is replaced by the public image of a woman who ensures production and makes important decisions. But the patriarchal structure was reflected in the fact that modern women They see their economic role as spending money rather than making it; for them money is more than an instrument of power and prestige. Men, on the contrary, having established themselves in the role of breadwinner, have the power to dispose of them. Both of these attitudes equally lead to internal and external conflicts between them.

The emotional basis of money pathology

Today, Russians have an increased level of anxiety about money. Sociologists and psychologists offer several reasons to explain. Processes of withdrawal and change have always been associated with confusion in consciousness and disruption of the usual order. Perestroika and crises erase the traditions of economic attitudes, cause anxiety about the financial situation and lead to cognitive dissonance. At the same time, poverty and financial crises experienced in childhood become an incentive to accumulate money and an attempt to control life with their help.

Z. Freud in his work “Character and Anal Eroticism” noted that a person’s attitude towards money is determined by childhood characteristics of the development stages sexual desire. The child experiences pleasure from bowel movements. At first, the parents are incredibly happy about the baby’s bowel movement and express delight: “Well done!” At about two years old, adults begin to potty train him, thereby showing either approval after defecation or displeasure and punishment if the baby refuses to do so. This age coincides with the stage of development of independence and autonomy in the child, causing conflict between him and the adult.

The inconsistency of the expectations of parents, who previously rejoiced at the “gift” of the baby, but now treat it as something disgusting and dirty (they try to throw it away as soon as possible), leads to constipation. According to psychoanalytic theory, children whose parents enjoyed and praised feces grow up to be big spenders and happy to give gifts. Those who fall out of favor with their parents suffer from “financial constipation”, hold back money and skimp on gifts. Many people prefer to spend money during periods when they are waiting for approval and love in order to escape loneliness.

Money can not buy happiness

The American A. Farnham developed a questionnaire trying to find out the range of values associated with money. As a result, six relationships were identified: dependence, power/exploitation, planning, security/conservatism, inadequacy, effort/ability. It was also found that the needs for freedom, power, security and love cannot be fully satisfied. But many people mistakenly believe that meeting these needs is associated with a lack of money, so they redouble their efforts to earn more. As a result, the vicious circle shrinks even more, causing severe pathology.

Today our society has changed - from producers we have turned into active consumers. In this regard, modern psychologist A. Fenko made an attempt to analyze the situation in our country, confirming that the saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” is justified only for prosperous Western countries. Availability of money directly affects emotional state person. The only reassuring thing is that representatives of the middle class, which in Russia remains undeveloped, remain indifferent to money in developed countries. In the meantime, the gap between rich and poor remains, “money madness” is in full bloom.

Otchenashenko A.V. 1

1 GBPOU VO "Borisoglebsk College of Industrial and Information Technologies"

Gorbacheva N.V. 1

1 GBPOU VO "Borisoglebsk College of Industrial and Information Technologies"

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Money is a strange thing. The beauty of them is that they can be the greatest source of joy. And the downfall of money is that it can become the greatest source of melancholy." - John Kenneth Galbraith

(American economist).

The topic of money is always relevant in all sectors of the modern economy, since every day we all encounter money. For many people, money constitutes the main measure of value and is a universal equivalent; money can be exchanged for any product, work, service, or intangible goods; it is used as an intermediary that makes the process of market exchange more convenient and accessible.

Nowadays, by money, the average person understands a certain amount of paper endowed with individual characteristics. But three hundred years ago everything was not like that - people did not know what paper money was, for them it was of no value, but gold and silver were valuable.

Money is important. And we know it. But at the same time, we all have different attitudes towards them. Some people are ready to do anything for the sake of money, while for others money is far from the first place in life. And yet such people do not live in poverty. Why is that?

Everyone perceives the presence or lack of money differently, but its unexpected loss or appearance can have a strong impact on a person’s psyche. Some even develop certain forms of money disorders, passion for gambling or even theft. At the same time, money cannot be ignored, since in the modern world it is an integral tool for those who strive to make a career and achieve success and live comfortably. In addition, money helps in self-realization and self-expression, but the productivity of this process depends on the person himself.

In modern conditions, money is an integral attribute of the economic life of an enterprise. Cash is the only type of working capital that has absolute liquidity. All transactions related to the supply of material assets and the provision of services are completed in cash settlements. The latter can take both cash and non-cash forms. It is very important for the state to accelerate both cash and non-cash circulation of funds, as this helps curb inflation and streamline payments.

Having considered the relevance of the topic, we can formulate the purpose and objectives of the work.

The purpose of the research work: to identify the role and importance of money in our lives. In accordance with the goal, I have defined the following work tasks:

1. consider the essence and origin of money;

2. describe the functions and types of money;

3. determine the importance of money in the modern world;

4. conduct a survey and identify the importance of money in the lives of city residents.

Making a lot of money requires strong motivation. But it is important to develop the right attitude towards money, and not be dependent on its quantity. Wealth comes to those who know how to handle money, skillfully set priorities, are able to manage cash flows and control costs.

Main part

1.1. The essence and origin of money

For many thousands of years after their appearance, people managed without money. They didn't need money in those distant times when nothing was for sale. They took everything they needed from nature. In primitive society, while people lived in a tribe, clan, community, property and food in the family were common, although everyone also had personal belongings. Everyone did what they could. What labor gave was enjoyed by everyone on equal rights. The property was common. People unconsciously used the advantages that life and society gave them. They began to exchange the products of their labor and trade in very ancient times. Archaeologists have discovered that there was exchange between tribes back in the Stone Age. Many tribes that were at a very low level of development exchanged with their neighbors this way: products intended for exchange were brought to an appointed place. There they were laid out and left. In the absence of sellers, neighboring tribes came, with whom it was agreed, left their goods and took away those left for them. Gradually, during the exchange, a product is revealed that becomes the equivalent of the value of all other goods, that is, all the goods that were traded in a given area could be equated to a certain amount of this product. This is how the first money arose.

In economic literature, money is defined as a special commodity that spontaneously emerged from the commodity world, which serves as a universal equivalent and represents the “crystallization of exchange value.”

Money is what is accepted as payment for goods, services and debts. Money is a medium of exchange; people accept money in exchange for goods and services they provide with the expectation that they can then exchange the money for the goods and services they want to purchase. Without such a medium of exchange, people must turn to barter - the direct exchange of goods and services for other goods and services - a very inefficient means of effecting exchange.

More or less generally accepted equivalents of money appeared 2-3 thousand years BC. For nomads, livestock played the role of money, for farmers - valuable plant crops, for hunters - animal skins. On the territory of modern Germany in the first millennium BC. Cattle were in use. In Ancient Rus' they paid with the skins of squirrels and martens. In Mexico they used sugar and cocoa beans, in Peru and Bolivia - pepper, in Mongolia - tea. The most famous currency of antiquity was cowrie seashells; they were found not only at the place of catch - in India, Africa, but even in Scythian and Slavic settlements. Cowrie shells were used as money in countries with high ancient civilizations such as China, Japan and India. Many underdeveloped tribes carry shells and money in a bundle and, in case of danger, bury them in the ground as treasures. In Melanesia, the so-called “pig money” is known. These strange money come in the form of bundles of shells, glass beads, dog teeth and even pig tails. The purpose of this money is quite curious: they buy pigs with it and pay the bride price with it. Bundles of pig money sometimes reach a truly incredible size for money - up to 12 meters.

Money is known in the form of marble rings in the New Hebrides or in the form of ceremonial stone axes in New Guinea. In ancient China, bronze spatulas-hoes, bronze bells, knives or pieces served as money. semi-precious stone jade, on the island of Borneo there was agate money. In India there was pearl money.

What didn’t serve a person as money! The range of such things is truly great: from cow skulls on the island of Borneo to bars of salt in Africa, from metal spears in the Congo to human skulls in the Solomon Islands. For example, in the 15th century in Iceland they paid like this: for a horseshoe - 1 dried fish; for a pair of women's shoes - 3 fish; for a barrel of wine - 100 fish; per keg butter- 120 fish.

As social wealth increases, the role of the universal equivalent is assigned to precious metals (silver, gold), which, due to their rarity, high value with low volume, homogeneity, divisibility and other useful qualities, were, one might say, doomed to play the role of monetary material for a long time. period of human history. In order to prevent counterfeiting of money and the mixing of cheap ones with precious metal, the government began to brand metal money. This mark meant that the ingot contained metal of a certain quality.

It is now considered established that the oldest coins appeared in the state of Lydia (Western Turkey) around 650 BC. These were small bean-shaped pieces of metal made of electron (a natural alloy of gold and silver found in the river placers of Lydia), on one side of which the lion emblem of King Gyges was depicted, and on the other there were marks certifying the weight and purity of the metal. From there, the innovation quickly spread to the West, to the Greek city-states, and to the East, to Persia.

On the territory of Russia, the minting of coins, silver and gold, dates back to the times of Prince Vladimir the First (Kievan Rus, late 10th - early 11th centuries). In “Russkaya Pravda” metal money continued to be called “kunas”, but silver “hryvnias” were also appearing. In the XII - XV centuries. the princes tried to mint their own “specific” coins. In the Principality of Moscow, the initiative for minting silver coins belonged to Dmitry Donskoy (14th century), who began to melt Tatar silver “money” into Russian “hryvnias”. Ivan III (late 15th century) established that the right to mint coins should belong only to the “eldest” of the princes, the holder of the Moscow throne. Under Ivan the Terrible, the first streamlining of the Russian monetary system took place. At the beginning of the 17th century, a single monetary unit was established in Rus' - the penny (the coin depicted a horseman with a spear), weighing 0.68 grams of silver. In addition, the ruble, poltina, hryvnia, and altyn were introduced into the counting system, although the minting of the silver ruble became the rule only under Peter I. Gold money - “chervonets” - appeared in Russia in 1718.

Invention paper money attributed to ancient Chinese merchants. The first attempt to introduce them into circulation was made during the reign of Emperor Wudi (140-87 BC), after constant military campaigns against the Mongol nomads depleted the imperial treasury. Private minting of coins reduced the quality of metal money to such an extent that sharp fluctuations in its nominal value occurred. Udi required most minting yards to issue treasury notes, each worth 400,000 copper coins. The tickets were made from the skin of a white deer - an extremely rare animal - and were shaped like a square with a special design. However, this unusual experiment in monetary regulation was doomed to failure due to the extremely limited number of white deer. The Chinese returned to the idea of paper money around the beginning of the 9th century.

In Europe, the appearance of paper money is usually associated with the experience of France in 1716-1720. The issue of paper money by John Law's bank ended in failure. In Russia, the issue of paper money - banknotes - first began in 1769. under Catherine II.

Based on the above, we can conclude that money emerged from the world of goods as a result of a long historical process of social development.

The essence of money is that it is a specific commodity form, with the natural form of which the social function of a universal equivalent is fused.

The essence of money is manifested in the unity of three properties:

universal direct exchangeability;

crystallization of exchange value;

materialization of universal working time.

Consequently, money, which arose from the resolution of the contradictions of goods (use value and value), is not a technical means of circulation, but reflects deep social relations.

1.2. Forms and types of money

Throughout history, money has been accepted different shape. At a certain stage of development, metals became most widespread as a universal equivalent. At first it was iron, which was replaced by copper, silver, and gold. The latter became the most widespread - mainly because it did not oxidize and was equally highly valued throughout the world.

Commodity money. With the formation of large states, coins began to be minted from precious metals, which quickly became widespread. Ingots and coins made of silver and gold constituted commodity money.

Bank money. Over time, money changed and took on new forms as people sought better items that would serve as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and an indicator of prices. In the modern market economy, so-called money substitutes have become widespread - commercial securities intended for making payments and various property transactions. Checks, bills, mortgages, certificates of pledge, deposits kept in banks and other financial institutions, payment and credit plastic bank cards are usually called bank or credit money.

Electronic money. Today, most money consists of electronic records in bank computers - checking accounts, debit and credit card accounts. Electronic money means transferring money from an account, calculating interest and other operations through the transmission of electronic signals without the participation of paper media. Many economists predict the imminent disappearance of paper money and the final transition to electronic money.

Currency. Currency represents banknotes in the form of coins, paper money, and also in the form of entries in accounts. There is a distinction between national currency - the monetary unit of a particular country, and an international collective currency. The latter is an international regional monetary unit and means of payment. Thus, countries that are members of the European Union have been using the international collective currency - the euro since January 1, 1999 - for non-cash payments, and since 2002 - in the form of banknotes and coins. Currency is divided into freely convertible, partially convertible and non-convertible (closed). A freely convertible currency can be freely and unrestrictedly exchanged for other foreign currencies. Partially convertible currency is the currency of countries that impose restrictions on certain currency holders and on certain types of exchange transactions. A closed currency is a currency that operates within one country and is not exchanged for the currencies of other countries. Reserve currency is the currency of countries - leading participants in world trade, which is used in international payments. Central banks accumulate this currency in the form of reserve funds for international settlements and loan payments.

The basis of the currency system of the Russian Federation is the Russian ruble. Samples of coins and banknotes of the Russian Federation are presented in Appendix 1.

As part of its issuing activities, the Bank of Russia issues commemorative coins from precious and base metals and bullion coins from precious metals, which are distributed both domestically and internationally. The Bank of Russia has been engaged in this activity since its founding - since 1992.

The central place in the Bank of Russia’s issues in recent years has been occupied by coins of the historical and sports series, such long-term programs as “Outstanding Personalities of Russia”, “Architectural Monuments of Russia”, “Russia in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of UNESCO”, “Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”, “Red Book”, “Save our world”, “ Moon calendar"and others.

Samples of commemorative and investment coins of the Bank of Russia are presented in Appendix 2.

Cash flow is the most important component of the circulation model of resources, goods, services and money, in which all economic entities of the economic system (households, firms, state) take part. The movement of the flow of money associated with the performance of their functions represents money circulation. Money circulation is carried out in cash and non-cash form. Cash form of money circulation is the movement of cash (banknotes and coins). Non-cash form of money circulation - non-cash payments carried out by bank transfer of money from accounts, the use of letters of credit, checks, credit cards, etc. These two forms of money correspond to two forms of payments. Cash payments are made “hand to hand” without the participation of banks. Bank payments are carried out by transferring money from account to account or using electronic money. There is no blank wall between cash and non-cash money and payments. Banks carry out transactions with cash, for example, when accepting funds into a bank or withdrawing cash from an account, as well as when exchanging cash currency. Cardholders can easily convert non-cash money into cash using an ATM - an automatic teller machine that dispenses cash and provides information and services to customers.

1.3. Basic functions of money

The essence of money as an economic category is manifested in its functions, which express the internal basis, the content of money. Money performs the following five functions: a measure of value, a medium of exchange, a means of accumulation and savings, a means of payment and world money.

Money as a measure of value.

This function of money is also called “measurement” or “unit of account”. Money acts as a unit of account, with the help of which the value of all goods is measured and compared. Money performs this function using the price scale - the monetary unit of the national currency used to measure and compare the cost of goods and services. The function of money as a measure of value is to assess the value of goods by setting prices. The price is formed on the market, and if supply and demand for goods are equal, it depends on the cost of the goods and the value of money.

Money as a means of exchange and circulation.

When money is used as a means of making payment for goods and services, we say that it is used as a medium of exchange. Thus, circulating medium is money used to purchase goods and services and to pay debts. This function uses cash banknotes.

Acting as an intermediary in exchange, money serves as the basis for organizing cash flow involved in the circulation of resources, goods, and services

Money as a means of accumulation and savings.

A store of value is an asset that is retained after the sale of goods and services and provides future purchasing power. Cash savings include cash balances held by individual citizens, as well as balances in accounts.

People can store their wealth in the form of jewelry, art, houses, stocks and bonds, and many other forms. Individuals also accumulate gold in the form of bars, coins, jewelry (gold hoarding), buying it on the market in exchange for their national currency. However, money is more suitable for this function because it is inherently liquid.

Cash deposited in some types of bank accounts does not bring any income to the owner. However, in modern economic systems, money can be kept in accounts that generate such income.

Money as a means of payment.

Performing a payment function, money serves various market transactions (purchase and sale of goods and services, registration of property transactions - mortgage, rent, hire, loan, credit, etc.), payment of taxes, payment of salaries and pensions. If purchase and sale do not coincide in time and space, products can be sold on credit, their payment is made on a deferred basis, i.e. on credit. In this case, the cost of goods and services temporarily remains with the seller in the form of a debt obligation of the buyer until the debtor pays a certain amount of money.

World money.

The function of world money is manifested in relationships between countries or between legal entities and individuals located in different countries. World money functions as a universal means of payment, a universal means of purchasing and a universal materialization of social wealth.

1.4. The meaning of money in the modern world

Money is an integral part modern life. We encounter them in all areas of life every day. And for many people, money can be one of the main values in life. Money plays various roles in economics and social life. Figure 1 (see Appendix 3) shows the role of money in the modern world.

Today, money can serve a variety of payment relationships, which include labor. On the world market, they can ensure the movement of capital between countries, serve the sale and production of social capital through a system of cash flows between economic sectors, industries and regions of the country. These flows are organized by the state, business entities and partly by individuals, while the turnover of the value of the social product begins and ends with the owner of the capital

Without the existence of money, people would still be at the primitive stage.

Money allows people to enter into social connections, bringing them together. The need for money may force a person to resort to certain social connections and activities. Although the need for money as such does not exist. The “need for money” can be understood as needs that can be satisfied with money. In addition, money is an indicator of a person's success. People with a lot of money tend to behave very differently from middle- or lower-class people. In the modern world, money is the very indicator that determines belonging to a particular social class. Today money is the main indicator of social stratification. It was said above that money has the ability to bring people together and encourage them to enter into social connections. But this phenomenon also has a downside. Money can also alienate people from each other. The presence of money or its absence gives rise to feelings in people such as envy, pride, hatred, and so on. In modern society, greed is an important component of social life. It is greed that encourages people to do not the most pleasant work, enter into arranged marriages, and sacrifice personal preferences for the sake of profit.

Thus, money plays a very important role in the modern world. Without them, society could not develop and function. Undoubtedly, money permeates all spheres of society.

1.5. Practical part

Having studied the topic of money in sufficient detail and analyzed the essence and functions of money, I wanted to know what role money plays in my city. To do this, I conducted a survey on the streets of Borisoglebsk (Voronezh region). 100 people without age restrictions took part in the survey, which made it possible to see the most complete and general picture. All respondents were asked to answer the following questions:

1) “Is money... in life?”

2) “The measure of happiness is...”

The survey results are presented in Figure 1, 2

During the study, it turned out that modern people value money more than their own peace. After analyzing the data, we can conclude that every person strives for a higher-paying position, even though it causes additional stress and may make them less happy. These data can also be associated with the fact that at present, for many, money is the “pass” to the world of comfort and pleasure. The amount of money today is an indicator of success.

Conclusion

In the modern world there is no greater power than money. Money starts wars and ensures the well-being of entire countries and regions. The vast majority of crimes are committed because of money or with the use of money. And at the same time, thanks to money, people create the greatest inventions, perform feats, discover new lands and conquer new worlds.

Money organizes modern society and the state. The lives of modern people, states and the entire world community are subordinated to money.

Money is an outstanding achievement of humanity. They created modern civilization.

The emergence of money contributed to a significant simplification and acceleration of exchange transactions. The development of monetary relations contributed to the development of trade, banking, and stock exchange. Stimulated entrepreneurs to develop the production of goods, expand the range of goods and services traded on the market.

Money plays an important role, including in determining a person’s social status. They influence the development of personality, a person’s lifestyle, and relationships. However, you should not get hung up on money and think about it constantly, because it is just a means that expands our capabilities.

In this game of money, there will always be winners and losers, no matter how you look at it. But that’s not what’s important, what’s important is who you will be. And you will be what you make yourself. If you make yourself the master of money, with the help of proper self-development, which involves studying important things for life, such as managing people, managing money, and other resources, your life will be wonderful. And if you make yourself a slave of money, who is ready to do any work just to get money, you will carry out other people’s orders all your life and experience need. Well, as a rule. So money in a person’s life is what he himself makes it.

List of sources and literature used

1. Ageeva N.A. Money, credit, banks: Textbook/N.A. Ageeva. - M.: IC RIOR: NIC INFRA-M, 2014. - 155 p.

2. Galanov V.A. Finance, money circulation and credit: Textbook / V.A. Galanov. - 2nd ed. - M.:Forum: Scientific Research Center INFRA - M, 2014. - 416 p.

3. Slepov V.A. Finance: Textbook/V.A. Slepov, A.F. Arslanov, V.K. Burlachkov et al., 4th ed., revised. and additional - M.: Master, Research Center INFRA - M, 2015. - 336 p.

Annex 1

Samples of coins and banknotes of the Russian Federation