The part that most struck me was titled "Funny Money". I thought it was super interesting how when Berlin was split into East and West by the wall, East Berlin had its own currency. This sounds reasonable of course, due to the distinct separation, but the fact that the currency was only allowed in that part of Berlin, in that part of Germany, in that part of Europe, in that part of the world! The money was completely worthless anywhere else!! Not because the exchange rate was bad, but because no money was allowed to be taken out of the area. If leaving, an account would be started to save the money for when you return.
I think this is an excellent example to reveal the importance of having an exchange rate. The world is separted into many countries but is interconnected through location. Currency, language, food, appearance, values are just a few of the aspects that differentiate cultures. A key way to interconnect the world is to have an exchange rate for currency. If East Berlin would have established this idea, people could take there East Berlin money and exchange it for an equal value in any other currency of the world. This makes buying, selling, trading, etc. way more efficient and convenient.
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