Money & Economic Foundations
Three jobs. One is always the weakest.
"Can I pay with it?" is only a third of the question. Money is a system tool, and it has to do three separate things at the same time.
The problem
It's payday. Do you spend it or keep it?
You're paid in a currency that loses 30% of its purchasing power in a month.
💶 Your salary just landed
−30% / MONTHPick one and see which of the three jobs holds up.
The same currency passed one test and failed another. Spending worked — people still accepted it. Holding didn't. That's why "does it work as money?" can't be answered with a single yes or no: it's three separate questions, and they can have different answers at the same time.
The definition
The three jobs, one card each.
Tap to see what each one actually buys you.
Hands on
They don't fail at the same speed.
Drag the monthly purchasing-power loss and watch the three come apart.
Nothing is losing value. All three jobs are being done.
A common language
One scale, or a pile of ratios.
Same three goods. Switch the shared unit off and see what you're left with.
Three things in a shop
Three prices on one scale. You can compare them instantly.
What holds them up
Six supporting properties.
None of the three jobs works well without these underneath.
Check yourself
Five questions.
Answers come straight from this lesson. Submitting completes it.