The Nature of Money

Every now and then it is important to break common knowledge down and examine our preconceived notions of things. When talking about payments systems whether online, mobile or traditional, it can sometimes be helpful to reexamnine the building blocks and ask yourself what is money? Why do we trust banks? David Birch raises these questions in relation to Terry Pratchett's latest DiscWorld novel and it reminds me that other authors have also tackled such questions, most memorably for me Robert A Heinlein in Time Enough for Love.