Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 08/03/2008
Is bartering the answer to the credit crunch? Lucinda Labes on a modern version of an old way of trading
I am in a bakery, collecting a cake that is nearly the size of my toddler. It is red, shiny and looks like Postman Pat's van. It should pass muster at the birthday party next week. But, best of all, I'm not handing over a penny.
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How come? I am the newest member of Bartercard UK, a pool of 4,000 British businesses that trade work, rather than cash, for their endeavours. Many more could soon be on its books if recession hits the country.
6 comments:
It seems really interesting, very much like the Ithaca system. Fun hats!
Wow, over 4000 businesses on this system. Its in so many ways similar to the Ithaca system. Its interesting though how they managed to make this work nationally because it appears that one business can trade "labor" with another business from across the country whereas with the system in New Zealand the original purpose of the system was to keep business and cash flow local.
this reminded me of Ithaca!
i think if bartering worked 100s of years ago before metal and paper had monatory value, why not regress
the current US stock market is not doing well at all and there is talk of recession! bartering is better than communisim!
I feel like trading labor for a commodity is very common, it just happens under the cover most often. I see it happen in our society, but we just don't put a label on it often times.
Like all the previous posters, it does sound like Ithaca, but not many people will buy into it because as that one person in the article mentioned, she has all these pounds but what she really needs, a fence, has not been done and obviously she cannot just go down to the home depot and get the materials and/or someone to do it for her with MONEY! It has drawbacks but is there a tax?
It would be interesting if a system like this could work in Irvine, where everything is ridiculously expensive. I would love to make someone a scarf if they would buy me dinner. I'm up for this kind of a system, it makes work sound like fun.
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