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[84] Hans: Wheat and sheep society. What Pike describes in [76] is not a commodity-producing
society. In Pike's society, there would be a traditional
exchange ratio between wheat and sheep, which is taught to
children when they are little, and all exchanges would be
made at this traditional rate. If the wheat crop is
destroyed by hail, then the price would not go up but the
shepherd would help his neighbor. Same situation if the
sheep catch a disease. If either has more than usual, the
prices would not go down but they would throw a party and
invite some guests. Money would be completely unnecessary.
These people don't produce for the exchange, they produce
together and consume together and enjoy their free time, and
the exchange is just the ritual which they use to share
their products. Capitalists would be impossible in this
society: who wants more wheat or sheep than they need? It
is only extra work. |
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