If you look at the two most widely report news stories of recent times, the recession, and the MP expenses scandal, the root cause in both instances was money and the greed that it created. Money and wealth is the most dividing issue in history, with all revolutions generally being because the ruling classes have hidden money from the poor. If money did not cause this all encompassing selfishness, then the recession wouldnt have happened, foregin countries wouldnt be invaded for thier oil reserves, and people would be able to live in a much more harmonised peaceful world than they do currently. We also see that the economy is suffering behind greed. Many people think they can get money out of people and do whatever they can. For example, Steve Poizner while I was looking at T.V i heard he spend over 1.4 million dollars on buying cars showing that he was greedy and didn't care for the economy and he even increased his spendings by 14%. That's total greed and that's where people like us suffer behind it.

This is a very sad image that has been painted of the human race. Not all people are money grabbing bankers, in fact the majority of people are good hearted people, who are prepared to give away increasingly small small amounts of spare cash to help charities etc.

The greed for money is what drives all business and all individuals forward. Without this motivation, technologies would not advance, businesses would not grow and society would not progress.

The race for all forms of technological development is due to the riches that patenting such technology will bring. Without the attraction and incentive to reap such future profits, shareholders would not invest and all progression would grind to a halt.

Money is a very base, worldly concern. While it is necessary to think about worldly concerns sometimes, people often think about money in situations where it would be more appropriate to think about purer concerns. For instance, people consider the cost of going to University over the good it will do for their mind. Humanity cannot evolve beyond barbarism if we think of such things constantly.

it is not unjust when you are doing a service back in exchange; evolving humanity, providing a good role model for you. and we don't NEED to address any concerns beyond keeping yourself alive, which you do with food, clothes and shelter, not directly with money.

i think we are still very barbarous, we murder, rape, steal, do terrible things to each other, often because of worldly concerns. we have advanced a long way but we still have a long way to go, and we need to stop thinking about something more than whether we're getting a decent deal out of some arbitrary rate of exchange.

Worldly concerns must always be addressed by someone. The only way to free someone from thinking about his worldly needs is to have someone else do it for him, which is unjust. Also, Humanity has evolved already way beyound barbarism, using the concept of money all along; why is it now declared impossible?

as we move towards a digital age it seems a small leap to move money into digital keystokes - in this way its easier to organise distribution towards the many not the few...the myth of the few 'great minds' driving capitalism/innotaion/management/integrity, was given a damning conclusion when the bankers brought the world to the brink of financial meltdown - we don't need a few like this anymore...social wage now...

Actually, what derailed the socialist communist former U.S.S.R was their meet with the mujahideen(now taleban) in Afghanistan. They were very innovative and successful, otherwise and thus a huge threat to the U.S.A. Hitler's Nazi Germany also saw an increase in the overall well-being of German society(there was a German cause to the evil 'Hail Hitler'). There were jobs, order, discipline and a distasteful outlet to vent their frustration over their previously pathetic economy(they blamed it on the Jewish immigrants). And you can hardly say, that the Nazis(who pulled up the German economy and killed a lot of innocent people) and Communists(Who were the first to send a man into space (comrade Yuri Gagarin) and who saved China from Starvation , China is STILL communist socialist) were doing NOTHING.^[1]

1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_countries

So, instead of only a few bastards getting away with doing nothing for money, now we will have everyone doing nothing for money. Sounds great, until you realize that the resources to run that scheme will soon run out and people will be forced to create value by the motivation of fear and coercion, rather than by the desire to better their condition. This is exactly what derailed all socialist states.

What would such alternatives be? In the field of Economics, they have tried to measure Gross National Happiness as opposed to GDP and it created even more problems. Only one country in the world has this as an index, due to problems of comparison between individuals' happiness levels, measuring happiness and the fact that happiness levels are so easily influenced by personal situations.

The lack of any other sensible, comparable and ordinal alternative has meant that money is the only current measuring unit.

Greed in the family can cause many problems like for example, if your greedy, you put other things like money, fame, cars, and even women in front of your family which is a terrible sin in the bible. If you look up 1 Timothy 6:10 you can even see what it says about desire and greed. Both of these thing scan lead to a horrible life at the end. You see Satan he only lets you think your getting away for a bit until it all comes crashing down. The government even knows this and they don't care. All they care about is that if we don't know, the better is it for them, but just because they think we don't know doesn't mean that they can get away with it. Greed and desire will only lead to destruction and pain in the end.

Although this is undoubtedly true, it ignores the question of whether money is the root of all EVIL. It may be the cause of some good : ) but is it the root of all evil? It's another question.

Like it or loathe it, civilized society cannot function without money, therefore it has to stay. Money can also be used to do alot of good also. For example, millions of Britains donate money to various charities each year to help those that are less fortunate. Comic Reilef raises tens of millions of pounds for its causes, therefore money is not all about pursuing it for the individual, many people activley share thier wealth, redistributing it to those that really need it.

Without money they couldn't have commited the evil crimes.

There are many roots to acts that would be considered evil - I will assume this means actions that harm others or denigrate the self, but the concept of 'evil' itself is by no means straightforward - that are nothing to do with money. For instance, a murder might be motivated by anger, a rape by uncontrollable lust, bullying and discrimination by ignorance.

You don't need money to commit a crime. You need a big rock or stick to murder someone. You need the other person not to notice to steal something from someone. Crime has been happening before a monetary system.

Religion has also led to a lot of destruction since a long time. Not only this even the greatest of problems dont have their root cause as money.The biggest example being Taliban.Why are they attacking people, they are not getting money from it but it is because they want blood, killing of Indians and Americans. This is called racism.

So money is not the root cause of all evil.

But if there was no money (such as in the case of communism) the lack of it, wouldn't adversely affect anyone. All the fears you refer to only exist because we need 'money' to buy stuff but if there was no money and resources were distributed freely and equally there would be no need for petty cash or even less liquid monetary equivalents.

No-one is free of evil/desires, your argument is just as crudely sufficient as saying 'lying isn't bad because everyone has done it at some point'. The fact that we sin and/or are tempted to, doesn't not make it right/good.

I respect both sides and I understand why many people believe that money is the root of all evil. But I have to disagree. The lack of money is the root of all evil. Back in the history of mankind, before money was invented, we bartered. Money was the result of hardworking process. Bear in mind that criminals are all born in poverty and some of them live in poverty. The fear of lacking money haunts them constantly. It is the fear of not being able to feed themselves and their families that make them commit unthinkable crimes. If money is evil, could you live in a world without money? If greed or desire is evil, have you ever wanted something that is not yours? Any of you ever want an Iphone? Any of you can live without computer, electricity and all of modern comfort?

If you think money is the root of all evil, I'd like to recommend the Communist Manifesto for you. Marx talked about an utopia society in which people work based on their ability and get rewarded base on their needs. Money would not be necessary. I like to ask those who think money is not necessary to point out a successful communist example. Im from a communist, aka socialist, country. And we are moving toward a capitalistic market. I strongly believe that if you dont work for yourself, nobody will. Money motivates people to work harder, smarter. Would there be light bub if Edison work for just bread and milk only?

You might say those riches keep getting richer without giving away their money to the poor. I'd like to ask you "Why the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer?" If you find the question somewhat interesting please spend sometimes read the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." It changed a poor college student's way of thinking, I hope it will be helpful too.

Money is not the root of all evil. The lack of money is the root of all evil.

The desperation and greed caused by unlimited wants, unequal distribution of resources and a restrictive means(money) of getting anything. Is the sole and ultimate cause of stress,frustration,anger,rage and thus all crimes. Now you might argue that lust and the want of possessions is not the same as the want/need of money, but money is a means to that end. Everything has a price tag. Everything/person can be bought. If someone won't marry you because s/he finds you unattractive, you cosmetically/surgically alter your appearance using 'money'. The one you want does not like your personality : you can change your personality by paying for a course or workshop. Get private investigators, bribe the police, bribe lawyers or hire extremely expensive ones...you can spit in the face of justice/morality. You can get anything and everything.

'Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely'^[1] Money is power.

1. ^ Lord acton

To be fair the lack of money is one of the roots of evil. But still money is not the root of all evil :)

Were the soviets, who sent the first dog,man and woman into space, devoid of intellect, creativity, willpower, effort, muscle and the rest of it? P.O.A no they were not. The notion that money is the sole motivator is a great fallacy.If the notion were true, social/pro bono/charity work would not exist. Why are there unpaid interns? Why do students pay for courses? you might argue that everything is done to ultimately make money but the point is, making money is not why people are motivated to perform well and outperform others. Some other reasons are recognition,fame,responsibility,habits( being a workaholic) and competition. The need for money is artificially created in a capitalist world. Outside of that universe of discourse, where money is banished and resources are equally and fairly distributed, all the frustration over not having your needs or wants met, would diminish. Having more money than another person is similar to having the ability to cheat him/her. Historical rhetoric propounds: people with higher salaries exploit people who work under them, The rich exploit the poor and so on.

It is quite possible to have money without earning it through your own competence. very rich people often inherit it from their family, order other people to make money for them, and then money generates more money through interest rates. people on Income Support get money directly through being unable to make money, although it isn't really their fault.

It is a great American contribution to world culture, that they have coined the phrase "to make money". Money is made, by effort of muscle, willpower, and intelect. There can be no society composed entirely of thieves, as there will be no value to steal.

Money represents the confidence of parties that the value of their efforts can be traded for the value of others' efforts. It is a recognition of the importance of society based on trade, rather than the only real alternative: violence.

To be clear, money contributed to charity is also traded, for the value of achieving a social goal - this in contrast to taxes, which are forcefully taken.