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That is a good thought.--As you state yourself, though, money was invented after barter trade. And none-monetary IOU's have been quite customary in many cultures.--Not saying that it is corruption, but just think of the "Legacy" anomaly at US Ivy League colleges, for instance.
People are very inventive.
Also, as seen with the price-cap discussion in many European countries during the current #EnergyWars, even...