Speaking of billionaires, the goods that traveled on the Silk Road really only changed the lives of rich people. Did the Silk Road affect the rest of us? Yes, for three reasons. First, wider economic impact, relatively few people could afford silk, but a lot of people devoted their lives to making that silk. And as the market for silk grew, more and more people chose to go into silk production rather than doing something else with their lives. Second, the Silk Road didn't just trade luxury goods. In fact, arguably the most important thing traded along the Silk Road?