Debt

The First 5,000 Years

David Graeber

Book Synopsis

Debt, written by David Graeber, offers a thought-provoking exploration of the history, nature, and impact of debt in human societies. In this illuminating and engaging work, Graeber challenges widely held assumptions about the origins of money, credit, and debt.

Drawing on extensive research and anthropological insights, Graeber presents a critical examination of the various theories surrounding the emergence of debt. He argues that the conventional narrative suggesting that money was invented to facilitate barter and debt arose later is fundamentally flawed. Instead, Graeber posits that debt predates the concept of money and played a central role in shaping human relations throughout history.

The author delves into ancient civilizations, examining how debt was intertwined with power dynamics, social hierarchies, and moral judgments. Graeber discusses the development of systems of coinage, usury, and slavery, shedding light on the complex interconnections between debt, war, and political institutions.

Moving beyond historical analysis, Graeber examines contemporary debt structures, focusing on the rise of financial capitalism and its impact on individuals and societies. He reveals the predatory nature of the current debt system, exposing how debt burdens individuals, perpetuates inequality, and erodes social bonds.

While providing sharp criticism, Debt also offers alternative approaches and possibilities. Graeber highlights examples of past and present societies that have successfully managed debt through practices such as jubilees, gift economies, and grassroots movements.

Through his compelling arguments and engaging storytelling, Graeber challenges readers to question established notions of debt and encourages contemplation on how society can reshape its relationship with debt and envision a more just and equitable future.

In this remarkable work, David Graeber presents a profound and thought-provoking analysis of debt, provoking readers to reconsider conventional wisdom and explore new possibilities in understanding and addressing this fundamental aspect of human existence.

Explore More Books

See All
Well
Toussaint Louverture
Diaspora
Six Easy Pieces
Kingpin
The Undoing Project
Wake Up to the Joy of You
Carry on, Jeeves
Kelly
Where Mountains Roar
Where Wizards Stay Up Late
Uncommon Measure
One Hundred Years of Solitude
The Right Call
Crossing the Chasm
Anthropic Bias
Intellectuals and Race
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
From Headless Chicken to Golden Goose
Talent
Forged in Crisis
The Viral Storm
Tent Life in Siberia
Lying
Essays and Lectures
The French Revolution and What Went Wrong
Diffusion of Innovations
Steve Jobs & The NeXT Big Thing
The Plant Paradox
The Kite Runner
The Origin of Wealth
How Nature Works
On The Move
Scale
Little Leaders
Fahrenheit 451
Burn
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover
The Dragons of Eden
Law, Legislation, and Liberty
The Closing of the American Mind
Fortune's Formula
How Will You Measure Your Life?
Shantaram
Architects of the Web
The Innovators Dilemma
The Great Revolt
Diaminds
Our Final Invention
Layered Money
The Marked Children
On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right When You're Not
The Fabric of Reality
Right Thing, Right Now
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All
Mohammed and Charlemagne
The Ambiguities of Experience
Failing Forward
Total Freedom
The Hunger Games
Academically Adrift
American Exceptionalism
The Red Queen
Educated
Leadership the Outward Bound Way
Pandemic 1918
The Persian Expedition
Simple Rules
Empire
The Dog Stars
Dynasty
Competing in the Age of AI
More Heat Than Light
The Course of Love
A Mathematician's Lament
Waking Up
The Back of the Napkin
Glass
Masters of Doom
Success
The Coming Wave
Exponential Organizations
Pasture Perfect
The Robotics Primer
The Martians of Science
This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends
Rainbows End
Obsession
The Compleat Strategyst
All The Light We Cannot See
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln
The Passage of Power
Eating The Big Fish
Plants of the Gods
The Accidental Universe
Permaculture: A Designer's Manual
Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar
The Man Who Knew Infinity
Ordinary Men