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[–] 26 points 1 year ago (21 children)

Is there a transcript of this? I don't really have headspace for a video but I could dip in and out of reading some text.

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  • [–] 57 points 1 year ago (11 children)

    tl, dr.

    Back in the day, economists thought that tribal people used straight up barter to swap goods and services. This guy suggests that it's more likely that people would just share/give each other what was needed. Spearmakers would make spears and let anyone in the tribe grab one, and the spearmaker would be fed by all. From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (7 children)

    This was not communism. This was carefully enforced fairness. People gave the spearmaker food in return for his efforts, and when he wasn't making spears he was expected to fend for himself.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (6 children)
  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Sees bottom up, emergent organization.

    Is this top down, prescribed administration?

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Communism doesn't have to have to be top-down. I honestly don't believe that it ever can be, and that people who try to do things that way are either naive and doomed to failure or liars doing a great job manipulating everyone.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I honestly don't believe that it ever can be

    20th century Marxism polluted the word Communism. even Marx said he would not call himself a Marxist.

    The administration of things is still a state no matter how much they wish it wasn't.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Hard same - I noticed this option:

    It's not pretty but will probably work fine enough.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Economist think that before the use of money barter was the main tool for economical exchange.

    In reality, barter is close to inexistent in tribal society, early society relies on the gift economy rather than barter.

    Rather than trading apples for spears, a person would distribute the extra apples they got to their neighbor, then of they need a spear they ask their neighbor of they can borrow their spear or if they could make one for him.

    I'm not sure of our was in the video or not but there is also a social expectation of reciprocity, so once a person give something to their neighbor, the neighbor then feel a responsibility to give something back. It works between tribes as well.

    (Talking about that, my neighbor has been giving me tomatoes all summer, I should make a cake for them)

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Thank you, that makes sense. In the communities I participate in I've experienced a slight preference towards gift economy rather than explicit bartering, so this resonates with me.

    Your neighbor sounds great. If you do make them a cake, please let us know what you made!

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