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That's another problem for it: for a functioning currency, you really don't want something that's easy for people to "counterfeit" (make themselves). The ideal
by nostrademons 4y ago
That's another problem for it: for a functioning currency, you really don't want something that's easy for people to "counterfeit" (make themselves). The ideal currency has a stable supply; can only be minted by a monetary authority that does not have a vested interest in spending it itself; is very difficult to destroy; is not perishable or hard to store; and can easily be exchanged in variable denominations. Alcohol is relatively good at the last two points, which makes it attractive during times of crisis when the central monetary authority breaks down, but it's not really durable as a currency.
- kqr 4y agoTo add some nuance: it's fine if you produce it yourself – it becomes a problem when you try to trick someone into thinking it's the same thing as what I else produce. More concretely, you are free to make your own promises of future delivery of liquor, but don't go around promising people that I will deliver liquor to them!
- fluoridation 4y agoTechnically that's only a problem if the value of alcohol as a currency is higher than its value as a good. If it's exactly equal then there's no way to "counterfeit" in the sense you're using the word. A ml of alcohol is worth exactly as much as itself, there's no way to convince someone that you're giving them alcohol that's worth more than it's actually worth. What's possible is that someone might produce impure liquor if it's easier. Now, giving alcohol as a currency the value of alcohol as a good would mean having to buy, say, computer chips with hundreds or thousands of liters of alcohol. We might need some kind of token that stands for large quantities of alcohol, perhaps redeemable at certain places for the real deal.