Do you think a gift economy is practical in modern times?

  • I have heard that a “barter economy” was briefly present during the Argentinian crisis back in like 2001? I usually assume it’s just another way of saying mutual aid.

    • @Tatar_NobilityOP
      link
      31 year ago

      It would be an overgeneralization to say that systemic “barter economies” never existed, they would probably emerge at certain instances like the case you’ve mentioned, though this article focuses on pre-tokenized economies. Still, the premise of this “gift economy” seemed shallow as described by the article. In a survivalist community, free and equitable distribution would be essential for the survival of said community; I’d assume each member had a certain task to accomplish (e.g. carpenter, food gatherer, fisher… etc.) in a way that makes them dependent on each other. So it’s not in the proper sense bartering, since one isn’t exchanging his services for another fixed commodity but is instead continuously and indefinitely providing; but nor is it a simple gift because of the interdependence of the members.

  • @graphito@beehaw.org
    link
    fedilink
    21 year ago

    I believe a country can do it over decades but it’s much less efficient than currency exchange. I.e. as worker you earn less and your $1 buys less than in any other country. So there’s virtually no point in handicapping your own economy that much