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I just started reading this book by David Graeber, an anthropologist who was one of the organizers of OWS in NYC. He's an anarchist, and this is somewhat like Mutual Aid but about debt.
I think it's worth reading. It discusses the origins of money. The thing is, unlike econ texts, Graeber uses anthropological studies to explore how people used debt before money existed.
He also demolishes the idea that barter preceded money. In fact, it is only a type of trade used when currency becomes scarce, or you're dealing with hostile neighbors.
It gives a very good explanation of Chartalism or Cartism or Chartism. Chartism is the theory that all money is created with debt, and therefore,we shouldn't worry about government debt. Don't worry, because that debt is just a part of the money supply.
This flies in the face of traditional classical economics. It also goes against the "sound money" or "gold bug" monetary policies.
I'm about 1/3 of the way through... it's interesting so far.
David Graeber: The Debt of the American Poor Should Be Forgiven
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/9/19/david_graeber_the_debt_of_the
Not impressed at all. That's his great solution. Forgive and re-negotiate the debt of the poor. So what about changing the criminal monetary racket to an honest system. Does he say anything about that;or is he satisfied with just starting from scratch with the same system in place? Let me know.
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
I haven't read anything about
Submitted by nobody on
I haven't read anything about that, so far.
The thing is, it's an anti-capitalist anarchist, so his overall goal is to reduce the use of money. So far, he seems to be saying that currency destroys community. Implicit in that is that resources must be taken away from the market and money, and used to build community in non-market ways.
As far as your conspiracy theories about banks - I'm sure he'd classify you as a racist and ignore you summarily. He seems to be a fan of chartism, so, maybe you can look into that. Chartism, Cartalism, whatever - it's got a bunch of different names, but the basic idea is that all money is created by debt, and the use of that money is basically coerced by the government, which will accept only that specific currency to pay taxes.
There's a conspiracy film called the Masters of Money that you probably know. At one point, that film had a real chartist bent to it - but the new video by that guy veers off toward a "hard money" or gold-standard direction, which is kind of like the polar opposite. What's up with that?
Anthropologist Anarchist is a Nutbar
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
Yeah..I would consider him a racist too, so we'd be in good company. He'd obviously deny the obvious and that seems clear from his ideas and perspective. There's no such thing as Conspiracy...well except when it's convenient for some to accept.
In any case, I will look up his Chartism, which sounds like nonsense to me coming from an anthropologist tempered by anarchist ideals from a teen. Some would say his notion sounds like communism. To me it almost sounds like Zeitgeist ideas. The problem with the latter is the human race isn't ready for that for a long time. In the meantime the criminal scam that's been running has to be understood by the people, so as they can enforce the change and prosecute it's benefactors.
Gee..who with some insight into money didn't know that it is brought into existence by crooked private bankster as debt-bearing-Usury, the descendants of slimy cheatin 'Goldsmiths' et. al. It was never necessary and is not necessary now (nor the need for that other bankster scam of precious commodities money or gold-backing). All that money is suppose to be is an accountancy system of exchange, which can be created by a truly representative gov't instead of the Bankster bought political, media, justice etc. elements of society.
I've seen the Masters of Money film and others. In any case the scam is really simple to understand and the solutions are just as easy once understood. It's just a matter of applied mathematics. Not as complicated as the Banksters and their economists make it sound.
There has been and can never be a 'leaderless' society like your hero is implying is possible, when by 'leader' he means a form of gov't. In small tribal societies there are always a heirarchal order, who take note of the tribes needs, desires and ideas and sorts them out, taking the best of concensus ideas and where things are in doubt make the final decisions. They know they better serve their tribe with meaningfulness or else bad things could happen to them. Much larger societies are far more complex and modern economies are far more complex than some tribal primitives your anthropological anarchist studied. He should stick to anthropology instead of economics and socio-political 'activism'.
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
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