this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2026
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There is no "back to a barter system", though, because barter isn't what predated capitalism, it's what exists in a capitalist system when the system fails and people need something other than money.
For most of her man history, we primarily operated under various styles of gift economies that are more akin to modern conceptions of mutual aid as as envisioned by socialism and especially anarchism.
Barter, gift economy, whatever you call the direct trade of goods, is the alternative to money. And it only works in small local groups, where everyone knows who to trust and who not to.
Money looong predated capitalism. Every society that grew beyond a few hundred people eventually starts using some form of money. Acient Mesopotamia had actual accountants that tracked money and goods more than 5000 years ago..
IDK, man, we have the letters of bronze age kings who all sent and asked each other for gifts.
If you truly think those "gifts" had no strings attached, no expectations of reciprocity, no complex social rules underpinning the whole practice enforced through threat and application of violence...
I have a bridge to ~~sell~~ gift you.
You can see all of this sort of thing reflected in all sorts of historical and mythological fiction and even in some non-fiction historical research. Most newer than bronzr age, sure, but I think it's irresponsible to pretend these were just straight gifts.
...Yes, of course they did, that's what a gift economy is.
I think you need to read more history and less theory.
Yes, that's what a gift economy is, but bronze age kings "gifting" each other things was not a gift economy.
I think I read too much history as is.
And if that's not what this is, I'm dying to hear the difference, because I vaguely remember Cline directly comparing the royal "gift giving" to the Kula Ring.