Lo sterco del diavolo o la divinità visibile? Denaro e potere – introduzione

The article aims to trace the history of money across the evolution of homo sapiens. The species first originated in Africa some 200,000 years ago with initial concept of property limited to possession of simple tools. With technical and cultural development grew community wealth and various forms of sale and exchange were created. Eventually, the invention of money transformed both economic mechanisms and socio-political relations. The article also serves as introduction to the volume Denaro e potere, which aims to investigate certain aspects of the relationship between money and power, such as feelings and opinions on usury, as well as behaviours caused by these associations. The volume presents a broad perspective derived from a variety of humanistic studies and their subfields (philological, philosophical, anthropological, religious, empirical). The analysis is focused on theoretical aspects and their application through literary testimonies on how money and power are linked to each other and how usury has become an instrument of political influence and capital accumulation.