I wrote a few skits on the political economy of money that I think would make a great book for 5th grade and up to teach about what government has done to money.
Below is the entire first skit which is very simple and just starts the action, these characters don't appear after the first skit. The first scene of the next two skits is posted after the first.
Money Skit
Dramatis Personae
Egg farmer—he wants new shoes
Ophelia—egg farmer’s wife
Shoemaker—he doesn’t like eggs, but needs wheat for bread
Zapata—shoemaker’s wife
Wheat farmer—likes eggs and has more wheat than he can use
Narrator
Scene 1
Egg’s farmer’s kitchen
Narrator—Here we find the egg farmer and his wife in their kitchen
Egg Farmer—I sure could use some new shoes, these are all worn out.
Ophelia—Well why don’t you take some of our extra eggs to the shoemaker and see if he’ll trade some eggs for shoes
Egg Farmer—I’ve got it! I could trade some of these eggs for a pair of shoes.
(Ophelia rolls eyes and looks at the audience)
Ophelia—Great idea.
Scene 2
Shoemaker’s shop
Narrator—Here we find the shoemaker and his wife with no wheat to make bread
Zapata—I sure would like some wheat to make some bread
Shoemaker—Honey, I already traded shoes to the wheat farmer for wheat; how can I get more wheat?
Zapata—I don’t know, but here comes the egg farmer with a basket
(Egg farmer enters)
Egg Farmer—Good day all!
Shoemaker and Zapata—Good day
Egg Farmer—I am wondering if I might trade you some eggs for a new pair of shoes
Shoemaker—Sorry, we don’t like eggs, but if you had some wheat, we’d be interested
Egg Farmer—I’m only an egg farmer but I’ll see what I can do (leaves)
Scene 3
Wheat farmer’s barn
Narrator—Here we find the wheat farmer, hungry for an omelet
Wheat Farmer—I’m sure getting tired of bread all time, I’d like some eggs.
(Enter Egg Farmer)
Egg Farmer—Hello, I’ve got some eggs here and I’m wondering if you might want to trade some eggs for some of your wheat
Wheat Farmer—So, you want to make some bread?
Egg Farmer—No, I actually want some shoes.
Wheat Farmer—Well, shouldn’t you go to the shoemaker then?
Egg Farmer—I did, but he didn’t want eggs, he wanted wheat. So I came here.
Wheat Farmer—What a coincidence! I want eggs to make an omelet and have the wheat you need to trade for the shoes you want.
Egg Farmer—Oh happy day!
(They exchange the eggs for the wheat)
Narrator—And so ends our little tale. The egg farmer got his shoes, the shoemaker got his wheat, and the wheat farmer got his eggs—all where better off and happier too. As time went on, the people of this town found that gold and silver coins became known as the one thing that everyone would accept in exchange for anything they wanted. So gold and silver coins became money, the universal medium of exchange, and trade became much easier for everyone. Townspeople no longer had to search the whole town looking for someone who wanted to trade what they had to trade for what they wanted. Soon the king heard about these gold and silver coins and began to demand them as payment for taxes. Then trouble began, but this, I fear, is a tale for another day.
Skit 2---Taxation/Inflation Skit
King Roosevelt II—he needs money to finance his wars
Sir Hamilton—advisor to the king
Duke of Delano—leader of the king’s army
Thaler—an honest minter of gold and silver coins
Dilutio— a dishonest minter of gold and silver coins ready to help the king
The king’s castle
Narrator—Here we find King Roosevelt II considering a problem
King Roosevelt—What problems I have: my armies are running out of supplies and the people have almost nothing left to take as taxes to supply them. If only I could find a new way to tax. Everything I take from the people isn’t useful in supplying an army.
Enter Sir Hamilton
Have you given any thought to our problem supplying the armies?
Sir Hamilton—In fact, your highness, I have. Remember I informed you that the people now are using coins made from gold and silver, minted by respected private citizens, as a medium of exchange. These coins are so universally valued that you can use them to buy anything, even army supplies.
King Roosevelt—Go on, Hamilton.
Sir Hamilton—Well, although I’m sure you already thought of this, why don’t we just collect these gold and silver coins as taxes? Then we can buy all the army supplies we want, anywhere we want.
King Roosevelt—Splendid!
Narrator—So things went well for the king, he collected gold and silver coins as taxes and bought all the war supplies he needed.
Skit 3--Empire Skit
King Roosevelt II—tyrant
Sir Hamilton--advisor to King Roosevelt II
Duke of Delano—leader of King Roosevelt’s army
King Grover—honest king from neighboring kingdom
Sir Ludwig—advisor to King Grover
Duke of Cincinnatus—leader of King Grover’s militia
Thaler—honest minter now living in Grover’s kingdom
Messenger
The castle of King Grover
Narrator—Here we find King Grover considering a problem with the neighboring kingdom of King Roosevelt II
King Grover—This urgent message from King Roosevelt could mean trouble; it seems he’s unhappy about our merchants redeeming the paper money from his kingdom for gold. It says that his King’s Bank is running dangerously low on gold and silver and is threatened with bankruptcy.
Enter Sir Ludwig
Sir Ludwig, have you given any thought to the recent message from King Roosevelt. The neighboring king is displeased with our merchants.
Sir Ludwig—First it should be said that if King Roosevelt were not fighting aggressive wars and living in extravagant luxury, he would not need to have his bank printing so much paper money. Our merchants are simply redeeming what is owed them. This should never give an honest merchant or king any trouble. You, King Grover, set an example of just rule; you tax only enough to pay for the royal police and royal courts with only a modest castle, no permanent army, and a strong navy to protect our merchant ships from pirates.
King Grover—I do try to always do what is right and rule justly, but what are we to do if King Roosevelt threatens war?
Sir Ludwig—I do not believe it will come that at first. I expect that the king will simply declare that the paper money of The King’s Bank will no longer be redeemable in gold or silver. I have heard some reports that he has already done this to the subjects in his own kingdom. Our main concern is what will happen to trade between our countries.
King Grover—What do you mean?
Sir Ludwig—When our merchants are no longer able to redeem paper money from The King’s Bank for gold or silver, they will probably not accept it anymore as payment for goods.
King Grover—Then they shall need to use a different money, no?
Sir Ludwig—Exactly, our merchants and those from Roosevelt’s kingdom will need to do business with honest, redeemable money; the kind provided by honest minters.
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