Barter Exchange and Value

Bartering is something that I often forget to consider and it was interesting to read an article dedicated to thinking about ideas behind bartering and gifting.  I liked that Humphrey and Hugh-Jones brought up the point that bartering is often seen in a negative light (p.3) but there is a lot more to consider behind the ideas of currency, bartering, and gifting .  I also found the mention of Marx’s analysis of capitalism to be interesting, where he saw objects being alienated and the aim becoming accumulation in ‘commodity transaction’.  They disagree with this point and I think I probably fall somewhere in the middle.

The typical thrift stores and flea markets came to mind when I was thinking of examples of a barter-style system.  I also thought of suburban neighborhoods where one neighbor borrows a spade or a “cup of sugar” with the expectation that they will work to support each other without taking advantage of their relationship (especially since they see each other so often).  I also thought about the ways in which technology has changed some possibilities for bartering.  Craigslist makes it easier to share information with strangers to exchange goods.  These are interactions that can occur once and then never happen again and without much of a policing presence some people have taken advantage of the system.   A small town outside of Chapel Hill, NC established its own currency, which is based off of the dollar.  It is not exactly barter, but it emphasizes interactions in the local community and creates a network in which to share information.  It also establishes a stage for credit as you use the plenty as a type of bartering money for local businesses and services.  This system often later enables actual bartering and has in fact.  For example, watching someone’s goats for a week led to use of their beach house in the summer for a week.

http://theplenty.org