From wikipedia:
Contrary to popular conception, there is no evidence that societies relied only on barter before using money for trade.[73] Instead, non-monetary societies operated primarily along the principles of gift economics, and in more complex economies, on debt.[74][75][76] When barter occurred, it was usually between strangers or would-be enemies.[77]
Makes sense. In a small community everyone knows each other and can rely on trust/reputation to keep things fair.
Back in the late 60s and early 70s the banks in Ireland went on strike to protest some laws. They thought that they’d cripple the economy and people would demand they reopen. Instead, people used cash for most transactions and if they needed to write a check they’d go down to the pub and the pub owner would vouch for their credit. The banks eventually gave up because their tantrum didn’t work.
Another example was when the British pulled out of Hong Kong. People who were paid with checks from a British bank would just endorse the check to someone else, who’d endorse it to someone else, who’d endorse it to someone else. The checks were rarely cashed, they just kept circulating.
Well that was an unexpectedly hilarious turn
It’s Irish AF. They recently relaxed drunk driving laws because rural elderly were just sitting at home drinking, which is apparently less healthy than sitting in a pub drinking.
It is healthy to get out and socialize but I’m not sure elderly drunk driving is the answer
Yeah I think that calls for public transit. But what do I know I’m an American who’s pissed because I’m in the process of leaving the land of a dollar beer from a vending machine
That is cool as hell.
it’s not even really a small community thing, it’s just about general culture and people’s ability to feel safe.
If you’re not lacking for anything then why wouldn’t you help others out?
There’s a difference between helping others out and working an unpaid job for others. When you help someone it’s on your terms. You can always walk away if they ask you to do something you don’t want to do.
Normally if you have a job then you’re paid to do things you might otherwise not want to do. I like the example of an artist. If you’re an artist then maybe you’ll be happy to paint someone’s portrait for and even give it to them as a gift. However you’re unlikely to want to sit there all day creating character art for someone else’s video game project (a lot of meticulous, tedious, and/or uninteresting work).
Yeah. If bartering occured, it was probably between peoples who didn’t have a connection with each other.