Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 1Roscher, Wilhelm
History
Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 1
Roscher, Wilhelm
Economics
If the gold-production of California should be attended(895) by a notable
depression of the value of that metal, it becomes a question whether or
not silver would be necessarily depreciated with it. Senior claims that it
would not, for the reason that the two precious metals do not, for most
purposes, act as substitutes each of the other. If a country needed 1,000
pounds of gold and 15,000 pounds of silver as money,(896) and these two
sums of metal were equal in value, an increase of gold by one-half, which
would depreciate its price in relation to silver to 10:1, would not
overflow the channels of circulation. The 1,500 pounds of gold are now
also equal to only 15,000 pounds of silver, and _vice versa_.
I would put very important limitations to this assertion. Even a moderate
depreciation of gold would drive out the silver from all those countries
which had a mixed coinage made up of the two metals; and hence the supply
of silver would be increased in the other countries. And so it is quite
possible, up to a certain point, that the larger silver coin should be
replaced by small gold ones, ten and five franc pieces etc. Rau is
certainly right in his surmise that a general rise in the price of
commodities as compared with coin, the result of a great increase of gold,
would go farthest in countries in which the gold is the medium of
circulation, begin later in those which had a mixed circulation, and
continue for the the shortest time in those countries which, by force of
law, had a silver circulation only.(897)(898)
Appendix I.
Paper Money.
Section I.
Paper Money And Money-Paper.
Paper money must be distinguished from other value-paper or
money-paper,(899) which may also run to the possessor or holder, and not
unfrequently serve as a medium of payment. In the case of these bonds or
obligations,(900) their circulating capacity is a secondary matter, and
the principal thing the authentication of an economic legal relation;
whereas paper money is intended principally, if not exclusively, to act as
money.(901) Money-paper appears in a great many different forms, but it
nearly always bears interest. Its value depends in great part on the rate
and certainty of its interest. On the other hand, the endeavor to insure a
more favorable reception for paper money by the promise of interest has
been exceedingly seldom successful.(902) And in reality, good prospects as
to interest (_Zinsaussichten_) and ease of transfer from one hand to
another are two qualities which lie in very different directions.(903)
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