About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherMelville House Publishing

ISBN-101933633867

ISBN-139781933633862

eBay Product ID (ePID)74834895

Product Key Features

Book TitleDebt : the First 5000 Years

Number of Pages540 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicEconomic History, Finance / General, Social History, Economics / Theory, Money & Monetary Policy

Publication Year2011

IllustratorYes

GenreBusiness & Economics, History

AuthorDavid Graeber

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.8 in

Item Weight27.3 Oz

Item Length9.3 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2010-044508

Dewey Edition23

ReviewsWinner of the Bateson Book Prize awarded by the Society for Cultural Anthropology "One of the year's most influential books. Graeber situates the emergence of credit within the rise of class society, the destruction of societies based on 'webs of mutual commitment' and the constantly implied threat of physical violence that lies behind all social relations based on money." -Paul Mason, The Guardian "The book is more readable and entertaining than I can indicate... It is a meditation on debt, tribute, gifts, religion and the false history of money. Graeber is a scholarly researcher, an activist and a public intellectual. His field is the whole history of social and economic transactions." - Peter Carey , The Observer "An alternate history of the rise of money and markets, a sprawling, erudite, provocative work." - Drake Bennett, Bloomberg Businessweek "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Fresh... fascinating... Graeber's book is not just thought-provoking, but also exceedingly timely." - Gillian Tett, Financial Times (London) "Terrific... In the best anthropological tradition, he helps us reset our everyday ideas by exploring history and other civilizations, then boomeranging back to render our own world strange, and more open to change." - Raj Patel, The Globe and Mail "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition., "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "A scholar whose books and articles are used in college classrooms around the world and an anarchist who is a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World." -The New York Times "He's a public intellectual. He speaks out. He participates. He's not someone who simply does good scholarship; he's an activist and a controversial person." -Stanley Aronowitz, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Urban Education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, - Winner of the Bateson Book Prize awarded by the Society for Cultural Anthropology "One of the year's most influential books. Graeber situates the emergence of credit within the rise of class society, the destruction of societies based on 'webs of mutual commitment' and the constantly implied threat of physical violence that lies behind all social relations based on money." -Paul Mason, The Guardian "The book is more readable and entertaining than I can indicate... It is a meditation on debt, tribute, gifts, religion and the false history of money. Graeber is a scholarly researcher, an activist and a public intellectual. His field is the whole history of social and economic transactions." - Peter Carey , The Observer "An alternate history of the rise of money and markets, a sprawling, erudite, provocative work." - Drake Bennett, Bloomberg Businessweek "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Fresh... fascinating... Graeber's book is not just thought-provoking, but also exceedingly timely." - Gillian Tett, Financial Times (London) "Terrific... In the best anthropological tradition, he helps us reset our everyday ideas by exploring history and other civilizations, then boomeranging back to render our own world strange, and more open to change." - Raj Patel, The Globe and Mail "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition., Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics "A scholar whose books and articles are used in college classrooms around the world and an anarchist who is a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World." -The New York Times "He's a public intellectual. He speaks out. He participates. He's not someone who simply does good scholarship; he's an activist and a controversial person." -Stanley Aronowitz "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, University of Chicago, "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "A scholar whose books and articles are used in college classrooms around the world and an anarchist who is a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World." -The New York Times "He's a public intellectual. He speaks out. He participates. He's not someone who simply does good scholarship; he's an activist and a controversial person." -Stanley Aronowitz "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition., "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist Praise for David Graeber â€œI consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world.â€� -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell â€œA scholar whose books and articles are used in college classrooms around the world and an anarchist who is a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World.â€� -The New York Times â€œHeâ€™s a public intellectual. He speaks out. He participates. Heâ€™s not someone who simply does good scholarship; heâ€™s an activist and a controversial person.â€� -Stanley Aronowitz, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Urban Education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York â€œIf anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other peopleâ€™s worlds the basis for understanding our own.â€� -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences, "An alternate history of the rise of money and markets, a sprawling, erudite, provocative work." - Drake Bennett, Bloomberg Businessweek "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Fresh... fascinating... Graeber's book is not just thought-provoking, but also exceedingly timely." - Gillian Tett, Financial Times (London) "Terrific... In the best anthropological tradition, he helps us reset our everyday ideas by exploring history and other civilizations, then boomeranging back to render our own world strange, and more open to change." - Raj Patel, The Globe and Mail "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition., "One of the year's most influential books. Graeber situates the emergence of credit within the rise of class society, the destruction of societies based on 'webs of mutual commitment' and the constantly implied threat of physical violence that lies behind all social relations based on money." -Paul Mason, The Guardian "The book is more readable and entertaining than I can indicate... It is a meditation on debt, tribute, gifts, religion and the false history of money. Graeber is a scholarly researcher, an activist and a public intellectual. His field is the whole history of social and economic transactions." - Peter Carey , The Observer "An alternate history of the rise of money and markets, a sprawling, erudite, provocative work." - Drake Bennett, Bloomberg Businessweek "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Fresh... fascinating... Graeber's book is not just thought-provoking, but also exceedingly timely." - Gillian Tett, Financial Times (London) "Terrific... In the best anthropological tradition, he helps us reset our everyday ideas by exploring history and other civilizations, then boomeranging back to render our own world strange, and more open to change." - Raj Patel, The Globe and Mail "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition., "His writings on anthropological theory are outstanding. I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." --Maurice Bloch, Prof. of Anthropology (emeritus), London School of Economics., "[A]n engaging book. Part anthropological history and part provocative political argument, it's a useful corrective to what passes for contemporary conversation about debt and the economy." - Jesse Singal, Boston Globe "Graeber's book is not just thought-provoking, but also exceedingly timely." -Financial Times (London) "Graeber's book has forced me to completely reevaluate my position on human economics, its history, and its branches of thought. A Marxism without Graeber's anthropology is beginning to feel meaningless to me." - Charles Mudede, The Stranger "The world of borrowing needs a little demystification, and David Graeber's Debt is a good start." - The L Magazine "Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." - Booklist "This timely and accessible book would appeal to any reader interested in the past and present culture surrounding debt, as well as broad-minded economists." - Library Journal Praise for David Graeber "I consider him the best anthropological theorist of his generation from anywhere in the world." -Maurice Bloch, Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics "A brilliant, deeply original political thinker." - Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell "A scholar whose books and articles are used in college classrooms around the world and an anarchist who is a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World." -The New York Times "He's a public intellectual. He speaks out. He participates. He's not someone who simply does good scholarship; he's an activist and a controversial person." -Stanley Aronowitz, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Urban Education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York "If anthropology consists of making the apparently wild thought of others logically compelling in their own cultural settings and intellectually revealing of the human condition, then David Graeber is the consummate anthropologist. Not only does he accomplish this profound feat, he redoubles it by the critical task-now more urgent than ever-of making the possibilities of other people's worlds the basis for understanding our own." -Marshall Sahlins, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago From the Hardcover edition.

Dewey Decimal332

SynopsisEconomic history states that money replaced a bartering system, yet there isn't any evidence to support this axiom. Anthropologist Graeber presents a stunning reversal of this conventional wisdom. For more than 5,000 years, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods. Since the beginning of the agrarian empires, humans have been divided into debtors and creditors. Through time, virtual credit money was replaced by gold and the system as a whole went into decline. This fascinating history is told for the first time., A fascinating chronicle of economic history which reverses conventional wisdom showing how debt existed long before money., Anthropologist David Graeber shows readers that for more than 5000 years, since the beginning of agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods. He also shows that the history of society being divided into creditors and debtors was born in this ancient era.

LC Classification NumberHG231