The Spirit of Christmas -- Gift Exchange
Money by Edwin Walter Kemmerer, Princeton, 1935
Goods were exchanged long before money existed, and
the origin of exchange was in gifts. One would make a present to another in the
hope of obtaining a present in return. Our modern customs in regard to
Christmas and birthday presents are reminiscent of these primitive forms of
exchange.
Mammon by Robert Graves, Annual Oration, London School of
Economics, 1963
Let us go back farther in ancient history, to the
idea of barter; and beyond that to the idea of obligatory gift-exchanges; and
beyond that, to the still purer idea of unconditional gift. What we now call
‘finance’ is an intellectual perversion of what began as warm human love.
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Everyone could share the routine of necessary
jobs for a few hours a day, and leave most of the time free for enjoyment,
creativity, labors of love, and yet produce enough for an equal and ample
distribution of goods.
No comments:
Post a Comment