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Highlights
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gift economies were a whole thing. Entire societies ran off of obligations and relationships and giving things away to show status. I personally first learned about the concept in Anne McCaffrey’s Peytabee series (not an affiliate link) but they’re based on a real thing (potlaches) in Native American communities in the Pacific Northwest. Most of the time, a gift either encourages or demands a counter-gift eventually, tying the two parties into a cycle of exchange and contact. Over time, such cycles can link entire networks of communities. The Silk Road is a common example
✏️ Why can’t gift economies be a thing again? addtoquestions 👓 socialism history community 🔗 View Highlight