Occupy and Move: These concepts are the key to wealth. Here, ‘occupy’ means owning goods, and ‘move’ refers to transferring ownership through exchange. Wealth is built by accumulating possessions. For accumulation to occur, a good must first be owned by someone else and then transferred. The transfer of ownership is what I call the movement of goods. To transfer, a payment is made to the current owner, usually in currency. Currency simplifies exchanges, as it is easier to move and issue than physical goods. Today, currency moves electronically, accelerating transactions. Had goods always been exchanged directly for other goods, exchanges and wealth accumulation would progress more slowly and inefficiently. The economic system now manages prices by adjusting the money supply, controlling the value of goods relative to currency, since money is easier to manage than goods. Business and investment outcomes depend on whether wealth is stored in money or in goods. If you emphasize goods, pat...
I previously presented the stone currency "Fei" used on the island of Yap in Micronesia, the western Pacific island nation. The "Fei" currency was a round circle, sometimes over 3 meters in diameter and weighing 3.5 tons. The island of Yap had no roads. People went in and out barefoot. Several people carried this money by placing wooden sticks in the center hole of the circle. The island used to belong to Germany when Germany bought the Caroline Islands from Spain. The German government ordered the village chief to repair the path. But the village chief refused the order. A fine had to be imposed, and the heavy stone money could not be confiscated. After much agonizing, the German government marked the stone money with a cross in black paint. In other words, they confiscated the property. Surprisingly, the village head repaired the path and the German government removed the cross. The seizure was lifted. Economic value is personalized through ownership. The key to o...