Papers on "Beyond Barter: A Social Commons Gift Economy" and similar term paper topics

Paper #103099 :: Beyond Barter: A Social Commons Gift Economy
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A discussion of Beyond Barter, the Los Angeles Skills Pool, a functioning gift economy.

Written in 2007; 3,065 words; 11 sources; MLA; $ 89.95

Paper Summary:

This paper examines why Beyond Barter, the Los Angeles Skills Pool, is a good example of a functioning gift economy. The paper points out that the organization is an example of a group offering and receiving services without using money to facilitate the transaction. The "value" of each received service is not compared to the services one contributes to the group. The paper explains that members of the pool are geographically concentrated, mainly by the constraints of service exchange, and form a community gift economy that fits the general model put forth in the theory on the subject. The paper maintains that the organization survives because it is useful and provides services to its members at a lower cost than the market. The paper concludes with an analysis of threats to the future of Beyond Barter and other gift economies.

Outline:
Introduction
What is a Gift Economy?
Why Are gift Economies such as Beyond Barter Viable?
Beyond Barter
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In The Global Idea of the Commons, Nononi defines the social commons as "access by users to social resources created by specific kinds of human labor." This includes such activities as caring of the young and elderly, household upkeep, and activities undertaken by the state, such as infrastructure and policing. Looking forward to our example, Beyond Barter allows members to trade these social services without attaching a price to each act. The end result is a community that realizes higher utility as a whole than individually, because the lack of capitalist allocation did not exclude some members from service. The positive externalities of the structure also improve welfare in the community as shown in the clean drinking water example. The trickle down of positive effects from the skills pool improves the lives of its members both financially and personally. "Besides saving a great deal of money, members enjoy meeting a lot of terrific people.... The L.A. Bargain Book's editor is in her second year as a Beyond Barter member and speaks highly of the group (Hunter)." This enthusiasm highlights a key attribute of the skills pool- member involvement and satisfaction. The pool allows members to interact with others in a more personal manner than traditional capitalism. The absence of monetary exchange personalizes the transaction."

Tags: non-profit non-capitalist

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