美国是如何“变”出钱来的：英语精读讲义

Every hour of every day, this government facility in Washington DC turns paper into money.

每天的每个小时，这个位于华盛顿特区的政府设施都在将纸张变成金钱。

In order to keep up with demand, 講解

为了跟上需求，

these machines are running 24/7,

这些机器全天候运转，

pumping out more than $500 million into the US economy every day. 短語動詞

每天向美国经济注入超过5亿美元。

But this is only a tiny fraction of how much money is really made.

但这只是实际创造的货币中极小的一部分。

Most of our money exists digitally,

我们大部分的钱都以数字形式存在，

and this number currently goes up by more than $4 billion every day.

而这个数字目前每天增加超过40亿美元。

But where does all of this money come from?

但是这些钱都是从哪里来的呢？

Before it ever reached your bank account,

在它到达你的银行账户之前，

it changed hands countless times, 習語

它已经转手了无数次，

passing through people, governments, and businesses,

穿梭于个人、政府和企业之间，

all after being simply typed into existence on a computer. 語法

而这一切都只是在电脑上通过敲击键盘创造出来的。

We modeled the entire thing to show you how money really works

我们对整个过程进行了建模，向你展示货币究竟是如何运作的，

and how it drives the country, inflates prices,

以及它是如何驱动国家、推高物价，

and ultimately puts you in debt. 短語搭配

并最终让你负债的。

But in order to fully understand how we got to this point,

但是为了完全理解我们是如何走到这一步的，

we need to go back to a time before money.

我们需要回到货币出现之前的时代。

If a farmer thousands of years ago needed a new tool,

如果几千年前的一位农民需要一件新工具，

he'd go to the local toolmaker to buy one.

他会去当地的工具制造商那里买一件。

The farmer didn't have anything to give him in return,

农民没有东西可以作为回报给他，

so instead, they both just agreed that he owed him something in the future.

所以他们俩只是达成协议，农民在未来欠他一些东西。

Because the toolmaker trusted the farmer,

因为工具制造商信任这位农民，

his promise of future value was an acceptable form of payment.

农民对未来价值的承诺便成为一种可接受的支付方式。

Sure enough, 2 weeks later, 表達脈絡

果然，两周后，

the farmer came back and gave him some food from his farm.

农民回来了，并给了他一些自家农场产的食物。

To make transactions easier,

为了让交易更方便，

people started to pay using more commonly used items like cattle, grain, and salt.

人们开始使用更常用的物品进行支付，比如牛、谷物和盐。

Everyone needed these things,

每个人都需要这些东西，

but they were hard to come by, and that's what made them valuable. 習語

但它们很难获得，这正是它们具有价值的原因。

The farmer could now buy a tool and pay for it right away

现在农民可以立刻买下工具并付款，

using a precise amount of grain that seemed like a fair exchange.

使用的是一种看起来像是公平交换的确切数量的谷物。

This made transactions quicker,

这使得交易变得更快，

and both parties would leave with something valuable to them.

而且双方离开时都能得到对他们有价值的东西。

But eventually, the demand for trade was too much,

但最终，贸易的需求太大了，

and paying with a random mix of bulky objects wasn't good enough.

用各种笨重物品混合支付的方式已经不够好了。

People eventually settled on using metal coins, like gold and silver, 短語動詞

人们最终决定使用金属硬币，比如金和银，

since they were small, extremely valuable, and would last forever,

因为它们体积小、极具价值，并且可以永久保存，

unlike cattle or grain.

不像牛或谷物那样。

Suddenly, trade around the world opened up,

突然之间，世界各地的贸易开放了，

and things were being bought and sold all the way from China to Europe. 短語搭配

物品从中国一路买卖到欧洲。

But traveling with so much gold became heavy and dangerous.

但是带着这么多黄金旅行变得沉重而危险。

This was when the whole idea of money started to change.

正是在这个时候，货币的整个概念开始发生变化。

In 17th century London,

在17世纪的伦敦，

trusted goldsmiths started to take in people's gold coins,

值得信赖的金匠开始接收人们的金币，

promising to look after them for a small fee. 短語動詞

承诺只需收取少量费用就替他们保管。

In return,

作为回报，

they would give the customer a piece of paper,

他们会给客户一张纸，

a promise note, that allowed them to retrieve their gold at any time.

也就是一张允许他们随时取回黄金的凭条。

The key to this piece of paper

这张纸的关键在于，

was that the customer could go to any goldsmith in any town and claim back that exact amount of gold.

客户可以去任何城镇的任何金匠那里，要求取回等量的黄金。

The paper itself had no intrinsic value, 用詞

这张纸本身没有内在价值，

but it became as good as gold. 習語

但它变得和黄金一样好用。

The notes were so convenient 語法

这些凭条非常方便，

that people started simply exchanging them to buy and sell things.

以至于人们开始直接交换它们来买卖东西。

The goldsmiths realized that most people weren't actually coming to retrieve their gold,

金匠们意识到，大多数人实际上并没有来取回他们的黄金，

and so they started loaning out fake promise notes to customers,

因此，他们开始向客户借出伪造的承诺凭条，

instant money that had to be paid back with interest, 短語動詞

这成了必须带息偿还的即时货币，

making the goldsmiths a small profit.

让金匠们赚取了小额利润。

This was fake money that didn't actually come out of their gold supply.

这是伪造的钱，并没有真正从他们的黄金储备中扣除。

If a goldsmith loaned out 100 coins,

如果金匠借出100枚硬币，

they wouldn't become 100 coins poorer.

他们并不会因此损失100枚硬币。

They'd simply write the customer a fake note that was worth 100 coins,

他们只需给客户写一张价值100枚硬币的假凭条，

which could be spent anywhere.

这些凭条可以在任何地方消费。

Eventually,

最终，

the customer would pay back the loan plus the fee,

客户会偿还贷款和利息，

making the goldsmith 105 coins richer.

让金匠多赚了105枚硬币。

On top of that, 表達脈絡

除此之外，

the customer would spend their money by paying someone for goods,

客户会花掉这些钱向别人购买商品，

making them richer.

让其他人也变得更富有。

From that single loan,

仅从这一笔贷款中，

the total money in existence increased by 100 coins,

存在的货币总额就增加了100枚硬币，

yet no new coins were produced.

然而却没有生产出新的硬币。

This meant that more money was in people's hands than actually existed.

这意味着人们手中的钱比实际存在的还要多。

As long as everyone didn't come to cash in their notes at the same time, 講解

只要大家不是在同一时间来兑现他们的凭条，

everything would be fine.

一切就会相安无事。

If we replace the goldsmiths with banks 語法

如果我们将金匠替换为银行，

and the promise notes with digital money,

并将承诺凭条替换为数字货币，

we have today's system of money.

我们得到的便是今天的货币体系。

Nowadays,

如今，

almost everything is bought and sold digitally.

几乎所有东西都是通过数字方式买卖的。

But did you know that data brokers buy and sell your own personal data?

但你知道数据中间商正在买卖你的个人数据吗？

This could be used against you for things like scams, identity theft, stalking, and harassment.

这些可能被用来对付你，比如诈骗、身份盗窃、跟踪和骚扰。

On top of that,

最重要的是，

when marketing agencies get a hold of your data,

当营销机构掌握了你的数据时，

they start sending you a never-ending supply of spam.

他们就会开始给你发送源源不断的垃圾邮件。

The good news is that you have the right to protect and remove your personal info.

好消息是，你有权保护并删除你的个人信息。

All you need to do is sign up with DeleteMe today's sponsor,

你只需注册今天的赞助商 DeleteMe，

and they start searching and removing your personal details from hundreds of data brokers.

他们就会开始从数百个数据中间商那里搜索并删除你的个人详细信息。

You'll get a breakdown of how much data has been removed

你会得到一份明细，说明删除了多少数据

and where it has been removed from.

以及从哪里删除的。

DeleteMe will work continually throughout the year to keep your data away from these data brokers.

DeleteMe 将在全年持续工作，让你的数据远离这些数据中间商。

They also have a family plan to protect your loved ones from the same problems.

他们还提供家庭套餐，保护你的亲人免受同样问题的困扰。

To remove your data and protect yourself,

要删除你的数据并保护自己，

visit joindeleteme.com/space

请访问 joindeleteme.com/space

and use the code space at checkout to get 20% off.

并在结账时使用代码 space，即可享受20%的折扣。

When the 17th century goldsmiths started handing out fake money,

当17世纪的金匠开始发放假钱时，

it had a profound effect on the economy. 短語搭配

它对经济产生了深远的影响。

Before, no new money could enter the system,

在此之前，没有新货币能进入这个系统，

and so the money that did exist was simply passed around in a cycle

所以现存的钱只是在一个循环中传递，

whenever a transaction was made.

每当发生交易时就流转一次。

But this system had a major flaw.

但是这个系统有一个重大缺陷。

Imagine a group of four people who have a total of $100 between them.

想象一个四人小组，他们之间总共有100美元。

If person one pays person two for some food,

如果第一个人为了买食物付钱给第二个人，

it moves the money around,

这会使钱流动起来，

making it uneven.

让分布变得不平均。

Then person two pays person four for a service,

然后第二个人为了某项服务付钱给第四个人，

and the money moves again.

钱再次流动。

Note that every time money is passed around, 表達脈絡

注意，每一次钱的流转，

value is made and productivity grows.

价值就被创造出来，生产力也随之增长。

But eventually,

但最终，

the money supply becomes uneven and less people can participate,

货币供应会变得不平衡，能参与的人变少，

slowing down trade and reducing productivity.

从而减缓贸易并降低生产力。

This system only works if everyone pays each other the exact same amount at the exact same time, 語法

这个系统只有在每个人在同一时间互相支付完全相同金额的情况下才有效，

something that is impossible in the real world.

这在现实世界中是不可能的。

By adding more money into the system, 語法

通过向系统中添加更多的货币，

it speeds up the economy, 短語動詞

它加速了经济发展，

allowing businesses to grow,

让企业能够成长，

products to be made,

产品得以被制造，

and ultimately,

并最终，

advances our civilization.

推动了我们文明的进步。

And so,

因此，

a constant flow of new money is crucial in our current system.

源源不断的新货币流入在我们现行的系统中至关重要。

But how is this actually done?

但这究竟是如何做到的呢？

We think of banks as places that store our money and keep it safe, 語法

我们把银行视为储存我们的钱并保持其安全的地方，

but that's not really what's going on. 短語動詞

但事实并非如此。

When you give a bank your money,

当你把钱给银行时，

they are in debt to you. 短語搭配

他们就欠了你的债。

The numbers you see in your bank account aren't real wads of cash sitting in a vault. 用詞

你在银行账户里看到的数字并不是躺在金库里一叠叠的真实钞票。

They're simply promise notes showing that the bank owes you money

它们只是承诺凭条，表明银行欠你钱，

and you can claim it back whenever you want.

并且你可以随时要求拿回这笔钱。

A loan is the exact same, 表達脈絡

贷款也是完全一样的，

but in the opposite direction.

只不过方向相反。

When banks lend us money,

当银行向我们借钱时，

we are in debt to them,

我们就欠了他们的债，

and we have to pay them back.

并且我们必须偿还。

This is where money really gets made.

这就是钱真正被创造出来的地方。

Just like the goldsmiths,

就像那些金匠一样，

when a bank gives out a loan,

当银行发放贷款时，

they don't get poorer.

他们并没有变穷。

They simply type new money into your bank account.

他们只是在你的银行账户里输入新的金额。

It's brand new money that didn't exist before.

那是以前不存在的全新货币。

The only difference is that when you pay it back,

唯一的区别是，当你偿还它时，

the money gets cancelled out

这笔钱被注销了，

and the bank only keeps the interest.

而银行只留下了利息。

But with that loan,

但有了这笔贷款，

you paid for a new car,

你付钱买了一辆新车，

and that money eventually made its way to the employees of the dealership. 習語

这笔钱最终流入了汽车经销店员工的手中。

Then,

然后，

they spent that money,

他们花掉了那笔钱，

and it continued to create hundreds of new transactions,

它继续创造了数百笔新的交易，

powering businesses, creating new technologies,

推动企业发展，创造新技术，

and providing us with food.

并为我们提供食物。

All of this value and productivity would never have happened if new money hadn't entered the system. 語法

如果没有新货币进入系统，所有这些价值和生产力都不会发生。

The problem is that productivity doesn't necessarily increase when we create new money, 語法

问题在于，当我们创造新货币时，生产力并不一定随之增加，

and that can cause inflation.

这就可能引发通货膨胀。

If society starts producing fewer goods, 語法

如果社会开始生产更少的商品，

but more money is added into the system,

但却有更多的钱被添加到系统中，

prices will go up,

物价就会上涨，

since there is more competition for fewer goods.

因为会有更多的钱在竞争更少的商品。

Because of this,

正因为如此，

banks have to limit how much money they create.

银行必须限制他们创造多少货币。

In the past,

在过去，

they could only lend out a portion of the actual cash they had in their backup supply.

他们只能将备用资金中的一部分实际现金贷出去。

Nowadays,

然而如今，

though,

虽然，

banks have almost complete freedom to create as much money as they like. 語法

银行几乎拥有随心所欲创造货币的完全自由。

If they are running low on backup money, 短語動詞

如果他们的备用资金不够了，

they can simply go to the central bank and ask for more money.

他们可以简单地去中央银行要求更多的钱。

And that's where things get ridiculous.

这就让事情变得荒谬了。

To create new money,

为了创造新货币，

the government creates a bond, 文化背景

政府会发行一种债券，

which is essentially a loan that provides a steady income.

这本质上是一笔提供稳定收入的贷款。

Banks, corporations, and foreign countries buy these bonds from the US government,

银行、企业和外国从美国政府购买这些债券，

and this influx of money goes toward the government's budget. 短語動詞

这笔资金的流入就进入了政府的预算。

The government uses this money to pay companies and people,

政府用这笔钱向公司和个人付款，

and it eventually makes its way back to the banks.

它最终又回到了银行。

The problem is,

问题是，

the US government almost always spends more money than it makes,

美国政府几乎总是入不敷出，

so it is constantly in debt to those that buy bonds.

所以它不断地对那些购买债券的人负债。

In order to pay for that debt,

为了偿还这笔债务，

it uses the taxpayers' money.

它使用了纳税人的钱。

Last year,

去年，

the government spent almost $7 trillion,

政府花费了将近7万亿美元，

but your tax money wasn't enough to pay for this,

但你们的税款不足以支付这笔费用，

and so the government had to create new bonds to receive more money,

所以政府不得不创造新的债券以获取更多资金，

putting it further in debt,

使其陷入更深的债务，

and the cycle continues.

并且这个循环还在继续。

As crazy as it sounds, 語法

尽管听起来很疯狂，

this system of adding more money through debt is how most of the world operates.

但世界上大多数地方都是通过债务增加货币的这种系统来运作的。

It isn't necessarily a bad system.

这不一定是个糟糕的系统。

It's just not running anywhere near maximum efficiency. 習語

它只是运转效率远未达到最高点。

If banks created money for more productive things,

如果银行为了更具生产力的事物创造货币，

like businesses, education, and infrastructure,

比如企业、教育和基础设施，

all of this money going into the system could give us higher returns in the long run. 習語

那么从长远来看，流入系统的所有这些钱能给我们带来更高的回报。

And now,

现在，

time for the Primal Space giveaway.

是 Primal Space 的抽奖时间了。

The winner of the previous giveaway is Kristen.

上次抽奖的赢家是 Kristen。

Congrats.

恭喜你。

In the next video,

在下期视频中，

we'll be giving away this space shuttle LEGO set to one lucky winner.

我们将把这套航天飞机乐高玩具送给一位幸运赢家。

All you need to do is sign up at the link below,

你只需要通过下方的链接注册，

like the video,

点赞这个视频，

and leave a comment saying which part of the money system shocks you the most.

并留言说出货币系统中哪一部分最让你感到震惊。

Thank you very much for watching,

非常感谢你的收看，

and I'll see you in the next video.

我们下期视频再见。