Debt - Updated and Expanded cover art

Debt - Updated and Expanded

The First 5,000 Years

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Debt - Updated and Expanded

By: David Graeber
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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About this listen

Now in audio, the updated and expanded edition: David Graeber's "fresh...fascinating...thought-provoking...and exceedingly timely" (Financial Times) history of debt.

Here, anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom: He shows that before there was money, there was debt. For more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods - that is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors.

Graeber shows that arguments about debt and debt forgiveness have been at the center of political debates from Italy to China, as well as sparking innumerable insurrections. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like "guilt", "sin", and "redemption") derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong. We are still fighting these battles today without knowing it.

©2014 David Graeber (P)2015 Gildan Media LLC Ancient Anthropology Economic History Economics Theory World Money Middle Ages Law China Capitalism Latin America Taxation Imperialism Iran Socialism Africa Middle East Social justice Human Rights

Critic Reviews

"Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." (Booklist)
All stars
Most relevant  
we have all heard the way that money and debt have been bound together . David brings a new spin to the process.

enthralling

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A complete recount of debt, money, and coinage. Ahah. It’s the same thing from different angle. Well, I forgot about credit.

I wish I had found this when as soon as it was published

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First half is a compelling history full of anecdotes.

The second half becomes a only somewhat coherent collection of the authors ideas of what is wrong with the world and how we should change it.

Read it for the first half.

Great first half, let down by the second

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challenges so many taken for granted assumptions using lots of interesting examples - highly recommend this one!

important book

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A Human is no different to a dog chasing its tail. Civilisations come and go, nothing stays the same yet nothing changes. The earth will crash into the sun and there’s nothing anyone can do to prevent it. Fantastic book.

Circling the Sun

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I found this an interesting, money, credit and debt are always examined through the lens of economics. So in that regard it was quite refreshing to hear about these concepts from a different perspective. However I personally found the argument unpersuasive. however I would still recommend this book for those who are interested in economics as it's an alternative view point that is well articulated and is at the very least an interesting narrative.

Money a history from someone who isn't an econ

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Essential to humanity yesterday today and tomorrow share share share share share share share share

Essential

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Read the book. Listen to it, then read it, then give it to a friend, then read it again.

Read it. Just do it.

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Something about this mans voice is very enticing he could read me how to set fire to the sun and I would believe it all to factual and accurate.

The book in itself just makes it very clear how fucked our worlds economy is and I can’t wait for the fall and the post apocalypse world.

Grover Gardner; wow

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Very long, plenty of big words and easy to tune out in. Stick with it, trust me, it's worth it.

Very long, hard but worth it in the end

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