Evolution of The Functions of Money in The Context of The Approaches of Various Schools of Economic Thought

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is the identification of the functions of money and characteristic of their evolution through change of the used types of money. Research methods are a brief overview and comparative analysis of economic-theoretical approaches to the definition of the functions of money. A comparative analysis of the classifications of the functions of money, made by physiocracy, classical political economy, Marxist political economy, Austrian school of economic theory, German historical school of economics, neoclassical economic theory, Keynesianism, monetarism, institutionalism, modern monetary theory, is carried out. It is shown that various economic schools have different approaches to the definition of the functions of money. Some scientific schools separate money functions for basic and secondary, but other schools consider that all the functions are equally significant. It is concluded that modern changes in the types of money used lead to the fact that different functions of money (in particular, the functions of medium of exchange, measure of value, reserve of value, means of payment) are most effectively implemented by different types of money. Scientific novelty consists in the reconstruction and comparison of lists of functions of money identified by the most important schools of economic theory. The conclusions of the research can be used in scientific and pedagogical activities in the study of the essence and functions of money.