Debt: The First 5000 Years
Language: English
Published by Melville House, 2011
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Bristol Book Bank, BRISTOL, BRISTOL, United KingdomBristol Book Bank
AbeBooks seller since July 10, 2026
Condition: Used - Very good
US$ 34.83
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Book pages are clean.Cover has general shelf ware.Delivery within 2-5 Working Days.
Seller Inventory # B24
- Title
- Debt: The First 5000 Years
- Author
- David Graeber
- Publisher
- Melville House
- Publication year
- 2011
- Condition
- Very Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 1933633867
- ISBN 13
- 9781933633862
Every economics textbook says the same thing: Money was invented to replace onerous and complicated barter systemsto relieve ancient people from having to haul their goods to market. The problem with this version of history? Theres not a shred of evidence to support it.
Here anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom. He shows that for more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goodsthat is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors.
Graeber shows that arguments about debt and debt forgiveness have been at the center of political debates from Italy to China, as well as sparking innumerable insurrections. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like guilt, sin, and redemption) derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong. We are still fighting these battles today without knowing it.
Debt: The First 5,000 Years is a fascinating chronicle of this little known historyas well as how it has defined human history, and what it means for the credit crisis of the present day and the future of our economy.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
David Graeber teaches anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is the author of Towards an Anthropological Theory of Value, Lost People: Magic and the Legacy of Slavery in Madagascar, Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology, Possibilities: Essays on Hierarchy, Rebellion, and Desire, and Direct Action: An Ethnography. He has written for Harpers, The Nation, Mute, and The New Left Review. In 2006, he delivered the Malinowski Memorial Lecture at the London School of Economics, an annual talk that honors outstanding anthropologists who have fundamentally shaped the study of culture.
In the summer of 2011, he worked with a small group of activists and Adbusters magazine to plan Occupy Wall Street. Bloomberg Businessweek has called him an "anti-leader" of the movement. The Atlantic wrote that he "has come to represent the Occupy Wall Street message... expressing the group's theory, and its founding principles, in a way that truly elucidated some of the things people have questioned about it."
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Bristol Book Bank
BRISTOL, BRISTOL, United Kingdom
AbeBooks seller since July 10, 2026
Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
| Item | 14 to 45 business days | 5 to 10 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | US$ 31.04 | US$ 40.51 |
Payment methods
Store description
Bristol Book Bank is an independent online bookstore with a simple idea behind it: good books deserve another reader. Based in Bristol, we rescue, sort and rediscover thousands of pre-owned books from local collections, clearances and donations. The most interesting, useful and unusual titles are then offered for sale online, giving them the chance to find a new home. Our shelves are constantly changing and can include everything from history, nature and travel to art, local interest, specialist subjects, collectable editions and books you may not come across in an ordinary bookshop. Buying from Bristol Book Bank means giving a pre-owned book another chapter while supporting a small independent Bristol business. …
Specialty
Non-FictionSeller's business information
kaboodal limited
23 Ashcroft Road, sea mills
Bristol, United Kingdom BS9 2NE
Terms of sale
All books are used unless clearly stated otherwise. We describe condition as accurately as possible and note significant defects where known. Minor signs of previous ownership, shelf wear, inscriptions, marks or age-related wear may be present on used books.
Orders are usually dispatched within 2-5 working days after payment confirmation. If an item is found to be unavailable or materially different from the listing description, the buyer will be notified and the order will be cancelled or refunded where appropriate.
Returns and refunds are handled in accordance with AbeBooks policies and applicable consumer law. Please use the AbeBooks order system for any order enquiries, cancellation requests or return requests.
Shipping terms
Orders are packed securely and dispatched from the United Kingdom. Most standard books are packed in protective book mailers or suitable recycled packaging where appropriate.
Our standard shipping rates are based on an average book weighing up to approximately 1kg before packaging. Large, heavy or oversized books may require additional postage, especially for international orders. If additional postage is required, we will request confirmation through AbeBooks before dispatch.
UK orders are normally dispatched using Royal Mail or another suitable UK carrier. International orders may be sent by Royal Mail International, courier or another suitable postal service depending on weight, value and destination.
Delivery times vary by destination and postal service. Tracking may not be included on all standard services. Priority or tracked services may be used where selected or where appropriate.