Most models see value as subjective, which allows for gains from trade.
I’m not clear on what meaning you’re giving to “subjective”, that it means that it allows gains from trade. Whatever label we give, there is clearly a difference between money, and, say, gasoline. If I burn $20 worth of gasoline, there is now $20 less wealth in the world. If I burn a $20 bill, the net global change in wealth is negligible.
I’m not clear on what meaning you’re giving to “subjective”, that it means that it allows gains from trade.
Suppose Bob has five gallons of gasoline. The “value” of those gallons is a two place word; I might want those gallons so I can fuel my car so I can visit friends, and Bob might want those gallons for their resale value. If I want the gallons more than Bob does, it makes sense for me to give him money and for him to give me the gasoline. The “price” of those gallons is the same for each of us- but the “value” is higher than the price for me, and lower than the price for him (or else the trade would not occur voluntarily).
Thus, if the transfer of tokens can lead to increased global wealth in the context of voluntary exchange, it is thus also possible for the transfer of tokens to lead to increased global wealth in the context of charitable donations. The same safeguards are not in place, and so one might argue that it is less likely, but to argue that moving resources from one area to another cannot increase global wealth, as I understood you were doing in the great-grandparent, is arguing that trade doesn’t increase wealth, which is a basic result in economics.
I’m not clear on what meaning you’re giving to “subjective”, that it means that it allows gains from trade. Whatever label we give, there is clearly a difference between money, and, say, gasoline. If I burn $20 worth of gasoline, there is now $20 less wealth in the world. If I burn a $20 bill, the net global change in wealth is negligible.
Suppose Bob has five gallons of gasoline. The “value” of those gallons is a two place word; I might want those gallons so I can fuel my car so I can visit friends, and Bob might want those gallons for their resale value. If I want the gallons more than Bob does, it makes sense for me to give him money and for him to give me the gasoline. The “price” of those gallons is the same for each of us- but the “value” is higher than the price for me, and lower than the price for him (or else the trade would not occur voluntarily).
Thus, if the transfer of tokens can lead to increased global wealth in the context of voluntary exchange, it is thus also possible for the transfer of tokens to lead to increased global wealth in the context of charitable donations. The same safeguards are not in place, and so one might argue that it is less likely, but to argue that moving resources from one area to another cannot increase global wealth, as I understood you were doing in the great-grandparent, is arguing that trade doesn’t increase wealth, which is a basic result in economics.