A review by nikhedonias
Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber

5.0

Graeber challenges the conventional economic narrative that positions currency as arising from barter systems, proposing instead that credit and debt were the true foundations of economic activity. This reorientation allows him to critique modern capitalism as a system that not only perpetuates inequality but is also fundamentally built on concepts of debt that undermine social cohesion and human values.

One of the most compelling aspects of Graeber's work is his argument for the need to transcend the current capitalist system and its debt-based economy. He suggests that the relentless pursuit of profit and the reduction of human interactions to financial transactions have led to a devaluation of human life and the natural world. The book posits that moving beyond capitalism and the current debt system is not only desirable but necessary for the development of a more humane and equitable society.