Capitalism will save this world

petros

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I'd love to see Cliff barter his way to a fresh caught Atlantic cod.

What would that process look like?

Look at paperclip guy. He ended up with a house but had absolutely nothing else but a house ($8000 value at the time) in the end. No job, no food, no money to pay utilities, maintenance or taxes and in the end had to give it up.
 
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captain morgan

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A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
I'd love to see Cliff barter his way to a fresh caught Atlantic cod.

What would that process look like?


Well, if I were to guess.... Cliffy would beg, borrow or steal $400 to buy from a guy that tells him he has a buddy that owns a fishing boat on the East Coast.


The 'guy' would likely toodle on down to the river's edge and buy a trout from a local, give it to Cliffy and tell him that the freshest Atlantic salmon look exactly like brook trout.
 

Cliffy

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Curious Cdn

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Barter is capitalism .
Barter is level trade without capitalization. Barter is not naturally inflationary but as soon as it becomes capitalism, simple one-for-one trade is no longer enough. In order to generate a profit, you have to trade your chickens for the value of the chickens as well as a little bit more. You can't buy a chicken with ten turnips, anymore. You now need twelve.
 

Cliffy

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Barter is level trade without capitalization. Barter is not naturally inflationary but as soon as it becomes capitalism, simple one-for-one trade is no longer enough. In order to generate a profit, you have to trade your chickens for the value of the chickens as well as a little bit more. You can't buy a chicken with ten turnips, anymore. You now need twelve.
So, inflation is capitalism?
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Barter is level trade without capitalization. Barter is not naturally inflationary but as soon as it becomes capitalism, simple one-for-one trade is no longer enough. In order to generate a profit, you have to trade your chickens for the value of the chickens as well as a little bit more. You can't buy a chicken with ten turnips, anymore. You now need twelve.
Or your other neighbour asks for 8 turnip so you go to him and save 4 turnips.
 

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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With both parties profiting.
Then, it's straight exchange. Profit requires that one party gets a bit more for the exchange than the other. I suppose, in the broader sense, both parties "profit" from making exchanges but actual profit interest on your investment requires that you get a little bit more for your product than it's really worth.

No margin, no profit, no capitalism.