MONEY, MEANING, AND MORALITY

Modern money creates, transforms, transports, and possesses meaning by virtue of how it is used. This article devises a framework for the sy stematic study of monetary meaning. In particular, monetary meanings d epend on the flow of money (both its proximate source and future direc tion) and on who promulgates or issues it. Meanings also derive from h ow money's use and flow are restricted and on monetary media. Monetari zation quantifies social activities and introduces new equivalences an d comparisons. The factors shaping meaning also underpin important typ es of monetary variation (homogeneous vs. differentiated money; anonym ous vs. personal; material vs. immaterial).