Barter system problems... - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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The 'no government' movement.
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By Gassho
#14444918
I don't pretend to know much about Anarchism, but it's always held a kind of distant appeal to me. Of all the varieties Anarcho-Communism is the one I am most drawn to in spirit, but it also happens to be the one I have the most problem with. One of those problems is the barter system. Hopefully there will be some people on here who can help me get through my reservations.


1. As someone who has lived a long time in Asia barter is quite a common experience, although you are bartering money. When one needs something the price naturally increases, hence both sides are required to be somewhat deceitful. How would this work in an Anarchistic system? If say I am in dire need of some smaller item, would it be permissible to extract some larger item in return? In short, need is exploitable.

2. What occurs when you barter well or barter poorly? Is there a system in place to prevent a monopoly of goods, or to prevent a new disparity of wealth?

3. How is barter practical? Today I carry a wallet, it's quick; convenient. If I need to barter would I need to do my 'shopping' with a sack or a cart? What happens if the 'seller' is asking for goods I don't possess?

4. For sake of ease wouldn't people simply offer the promise of goods? And what distinguishes that from money?

As much as I can see Anarchism compatible with the modern world from a technological point of view, from a functional point of view it feels like regression.
#14445173
A universally accepted money system (legal tender) requires a state to 1) charter the currency, 2) require its acceptance as tender for all debts, and 3) to collect taxes to create a demand for that currency. Private money systems can arise outside the state, but they will not be universal - they cannot be required to be legal tender. There is no state to enforce this requirement.

There should be no prohibition against money in a anarchistic society, only against chartalism.
#14446867
I don't think an anarchist system necessitated barter. Go back even to Proudhon and you read of a form of market socialism. Syndicalism, I believe, could suitably carry on that tradition. The idea is to have a federated system of worker operated syndicates and communes--who own the means of production. Democratically run syndicates produce goods and services that can be bought and sold through markets. Communities control local banks from which investment funds are found. This is a decentralized socialist system that operates without a state and yet employes currency, which seems feasible.

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