Hacker News .hnnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Yeah, but the article talks about barter in the sense of transacting with natural resources like gold and diamonds. Graeber's point is that these items (along with debt) were mainly used as tools of arranging social relationships. They weren't used for general purpose economic barter as we know it. That only came later, after states introduced coinage and fiat money.


Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: