Barter, Debt etc.
Hi Alberto,
I, too, have read David Graeber - but I’m unsure that his absence of evidence for societies based on barter is indeed evidence of absence of such societies.
My current thinking is simple - barter can be clunky and transactional - just like money, but without its advantages. Even less formal means of value exchange exist - based on sharing and giving. This is UNACCOUNTED barter. Ouch! This is where economists really have a breakdown. People can’t just GIVE things - it’s irrational. And that doesn’t fit in with established theories.
Unaccounted barter (the gift economy) is based on relationships - not transactions. It’s almost completely friction free - requiring no visible accounting mechanisms whatever. However, does that mean that it’s highly vulnerable to gaming? In general, no - there are solid, informal and multi-channel mechanisms by which communities build up mutual trust and unlock the advantages of the gift economy. People who exploit the (lack of) system acquire poor reputation, which is hard to shake off without making visible and genuine contributions.
In Access Space we encourage the gift economy - and it has huge practical and psychological benefits. It acts as a kind of social insurance and builds networks of friendship and mutual support.
We find that some people (particularly people with mental health difficulties) can be tempted to “transactionalise” relationships to their own detriment. “Yes, I’ll make you a cup of tea if you help me to format this document”. WRONG! Be nice. Make the tea. Someone may, or may not help you. You have a good time, and you build relationships. People help you for the sake of helping you - not for payment. Your need to account for exchanges suggests lack of trust.
The trouble with the unaccounted, informal barter of the gift economy is that it’s most vulnerable to gaming by strangers, and by people with whom you’re unlikely to have ongoing contact with. The tax free, accounting free, capitalism free, gamining resistant, high speed, low friction gift econnomy does not easily scale.
Is barter a step towards the advantages of the gift economy? At this stage, I can only say “maybe”. It could be a brilliant hack - but it might also be that facilitation of barter, such that it transactionalises gifting, actually works to erode relationships and communities.
James
P.S. Yes I am @accessjames - tried to get that name on the Edgeryders platform, but something went wrong.