ANTH 3220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: London Agreement On German External Debts, Barter, Money Supply
12 May 2015
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This section: we focus on money and debt throughout human civilization [alongside moral economic relations, credit, barter, corporations, markets, banks, capitalism, greed] Need to understand changes in exchange processes throughout history have facilitated enormous levels of oppression and tension in human societies. Relationships: patriarchy, honour, religion, slavery, greed, conquest, colonialism, development, inequality. Anthropologists say that credit economies predate money use. Most exchange occurred without money between people who knew one another well. Outcome of exchange involving money or precise accounting. Debt is exchange slipping temporarily into hierarchy, until the debt is repaid. Debt = agreement between equals to no longer be equal until it is repaid this is the essence of debt. Almost always fairly serious consequences for the debtor (our times somewhat special) The origins of money is often told through the myth of barter. Myth: money originated in barter economies as a more efficient way to exchange goods and services .
