ABSTRACT
This chapter articulates the nature of money and the monetary system that follows from it. It describes money and its system as they should and can be, which differs somewhat from how they currently are. While money is one of the wisest, most progressive, and inherently equitable of human inventions, people's efforts to make sense of money and put it into practice have also suffered some false starts. The chapter focuses on how the system legally sanctioned and institutionalized in the United States just over 100 years ago which is similar to yet differs fundamentally from that and how it necessarily issues in escalating debt, student and otherwise. It llustrates how money and monetary system led to increasing student debt. Transforming the monetary system we have into the monetary system we can will enable to resolve not only the student debt problem but many other social, environmental, and ethical problems. The chapter concludes with a word of caution and advice.
