Debt - 10th Anniversary Edition

Name: Debt - 10th Anniversary Edition
Brand: Melville House Publishing
SKU: 9781612199337
Price: 55.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

The First 5,000 Years, Updated and Expanded.

By David Graeber

4.21

( 23,307 ratings, 2,892 reviews)

Summary

Debt, 10th Anniversary Edition by David Graeber explores the history and impact of debt on human societies. The book delves into the origins of debt, its influence on economies, and its moral implications throughout different cultures and epochs. Through a blend of anthropology, history, and economics, Graeber challenges conventional views and provides a thought-provoking analysis.
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Format: Hardback

$55⁰⁰

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Debt - 10th Anniversary Edition

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the history and impact of economic systems, especially debt. It offers a unique perspective, challenging traditional economic theories and providing insightful analysis on how debt has influenced societies throughout history.

Debt - 10th Anniversary Edition

First published in hardcover in May 2011.

Description

Debt, 10th Anniversary Edition by David Graeber is a revolutionary work that redefines our understanding of the origins and impact of debt on human societies. This special edition, featuring a new introduction by renowned economist Thomas Piketty, delves into the intricacies of economic history, challenging long-held beliefs about the development of money and credit systems.

Contrary to the traditional narrative found in economics textbooks, which suggests that money was invented to simplify barter systems, Graeber presents compelling evidence that debt, not money, was the foundation of early economic transactions. Through meticulous research, he demonstrates that for over 5,000 years, from the dawn of the first agrarian empires, complex credit systems were utilised to facilitate trade and commerce, predating the creation of coinage and cash.

Graeber explores the profound implications of these credit systems, illustrating how they established the roles of debtors and creditors and influenced social hierarchies and power dynamics. By examining historical debates on debt and forgiveness, which sparked numerous political unrests from ancient Italy to China, he reveals how these ancient arguments continue to shape modern socio-economic policies and ideologies.

The book also highlights how our moral concepts, encapsulated in words like "guilt", "sin", and "redemption", have their roots in ancient debt discourse. These terms, originating from early legal and religious contexts, underscore how indebtedness has moulded our basic understanding of morality and justice.

Debt: The First 5,000 Years is a captivating exploration of a lesser-known aspect of economic history. By reframing the narrative around debt, Graeber offers profound insights into how historical financial practices have influenced contemporary economic structures and societal norms. This book is not just a historical account; it is a critical analysis of how debt has been, and continues to be, a driving force in human civilisation, posing important questions about our economic future in the process.

Whether you are an economist, historian, anthropologist, or an inquisitive reader, Debt, 10th Anniversary Edition, with its engaging narrative and thought-provoking arguments, promises to transform your understanding of how debt has been an integral part of our human past and remains pivotal to our present and future.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Debt, 10th Anniversary Edition by David Graeber is a stimulating and influential work that delves into the origins and evolution of debt as a concept. Praised for its brash, engaging style and meticulous detail, it combines anthropological history with provocative political argument. Reviews applaud its thought-provoking analysis and contribution to ongoing discussions about economic systems, credit relationships, and societal inequalities.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781612199337

Publisher: Melville House Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 May 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Melville House Publishing

Contributors:

Introduction by Thomas Piketty

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 160.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 560

Collections

All Books David Graeber Education & Reference Finance & Investment Non-Fiction Tim's Books

About the Author

DAVID GRAEBER (1961--2020) was an American professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics, who also taught at Goldsmiths College and Yale University. One of the original organizers of Occupy Wall Street, Graeber was also the author of The Utopia of Rules and numerous other books, as well as writing for magazines and newspapers including The Guardian, Harper's, The Baffler, n+1, The Nation, The New Inquiry and The New Left Review. THOMAS PIKETTY is professor of economics at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, associate chair at the Paris School of Economics, and Centennial Professor of Economics in the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics. His book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list.