Document Type
Discussion Paper
Publication Date
9-1-2008
CFDP Number
1675
CFDP Revision Date
2010-04-01
CFDP Pages
45
Abstract
Why people accept intrinsically worthless fiat money in exchange for real goods and services has been a longstanding question. There are many competing sufficient explanations that may confound each other in practice but can be individually tested in isolation experimentally. In this paper we examine a sufficient explanation of the value of fiat money through the existence of a debt instrument which allows consumption to be moved earlier in time. We present experimental evidence that the theoretical predictions about the behavior of such economies work reasonably well in a laboratory setting. The import of this finding for the theory of money is to show that the presence of a societal bank and default laws provide sufficient structure to support the use of fiat money, although many other institutions such as taxation provide alternatives.
Recommended Citation
Huber, Juergen; Shubik, Martin; and Sunder, Shyam, "The Value of Fiat Money with an Outside Bank: An Experimental Game" (2008). Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers. 1986.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cowles-discussion-paper-series/1986