Comments on: Can We Make the Gift Economy Work? http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/ In search of a better way to live and make a living, and a better understanding of how the world really works. Wed, 16 May 2012 01:47:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dave Pollard http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/comment-page-1/#comment-7897 Dave Pollard Wed, 03 Aug 2005 14:29:50 +0000 http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/#comment-7897 <a></a>Zach: It renders it impotent via social rejection. Devin: This strikes me as a bit counter-intuitive. It is precisely the essentials of life that should be free, and the luxuries that (if you want them) you should be prepared to pay for. I'll read more about Theory of Power (someone else recommended this to me). Self-sufficiency and the defeat of hierarchy are definitely required to make the Gift Economy work. Zach: It renders it impotent via social rejection. Devin: This strikes me as a bit counter-intuitive. It is precisely the essentials of life that should be free, and the luxuries that (if you want them) you should be prepared to pay for. I’ll read more about Theory of Power (someone else recommended this to me). Self-sufficiency and the defeat of hierarchy are definitely required to make the Gift Economy work.

]]> By: Devin http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/comment-page-1/#comment-7896 Devin Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:14:42 +0000 http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/#comment-7896 <a></a>It seems that a Gift Economy is only going to work on a smaller scale, and that it must not involve crucial resources for survival, such as food.When one group is relying on the gift/generosity of their neighbor for survival (basic necessities, which in our society often involves money) that's when the Gift Economy seems to fall apart. Hunter-gatherers shared food readily because there was no fear of starvation... there was plenty to go around. When one person or group has power over these basic necessities, they can use them to coerce others and manipulate themselves into having even more power.It seems that the Gift Economy has to function separately from the Market Economy, hierarchy, division of labor, and the dependency scheme of civilization. That's my theory, at least. All of the gifts given must be somewhat superfluous -- above and beyond the basic needs.There's a book I recommend to you, Dave, if you haven't already read it: <a href="http://www.jeffvail.net/2005/03/theory-of-power-online.html" rel="nofollow">A Theory of Power</a> (free online). Particularly <a href="http://www.jeffvail.net/2004/10/theory-of-power-chapter-9.html" rel="nofollow">Chapter 9: Forward, to Rhizome</a> about an alternative social structure to Hierarchy. <a href="http://www/jeffvail.net" rel="nofollow">Jeff Vail</a> describes a rhizome trade network this way:<blockquote>Power remains distributed to the level of the individual rhizome node through local, functional self-sufficiency It seems that a Gift Economy is only going to work on a smaller scale, and that it must not involve crucial resources for survival, such as food.When one group is relying on the gift/generosity of their neighbor for survival (basic necessities, which in our society often involves money) that’s when the Gift Economy seems to fall apart. Hunter-gatherers shared food readily because there was no fear of starvation… there was plenty to go around. When one person or group has power over these basic necessities, they can use them to coerce others and manipulate themselves into having even more power.It seems that the Gift Economy has to function separately from the Market Economy, hierarchy, division of labor, and the dependency scheme of civilization. That’s my theory, at least. All of the gifts given must be somewhat superfluous — above and beyond the basic needs.There’s a book I recommend to you, Dave, if you haven’t already read it: A Theory of Power (free online). Particularly Chapter 9: Forward, to Rhizome about an alternative social structure to Hierarchy. Jeff Vail describes a rhizome trade network this way:
Power remains distributed to the level of the individual rhizome node through local, functional self-sufficiency

]]> By: zach http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/comment-page-1/#comment-7895 zach Mon, 01 Aug 2005 02:59:08 +0000 http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/07/31/can-we-make-the-gift-economy-work/#comment-7895 <a></a>How does a "Gift Economy" deal with greed? How does a “Gift Economy” deal with greed?

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