Home » Home & Style » Rural Country Living » Country Economics--The Barter System

Country Economics--The Barter System

©

Exchanging goods and services for other goods and services, has been practiced since early man bartered skins and furs, for meat and other needs. The, “primitive” barter system remains a constant, after thousands of years.

Up to 70% of the economy in rural communities throughout the world, is through the barter system. The system is popular, because no money changes hands, thus money is saved, if present in the first place!

Some people in my rural community rely entirely on the barter system. They don’t own cars, but barter rides to town for services rendered. They barter their services for lumber, food, tobacco, beer, firewood, rent and other items they would otherwise have to purchase with money.

Trader Joe exchanges his roofing expertise for carpentry work. Penny makes bread and barters the loaves for canned goods and diapers. Mike will dig a septic system, for one years’ supply of dressed out rabbits and chickens. A doctor in our community a while back, accepted turkeys and chickens as part payment towards his bill. Tammy babysits the neighbors’ children and barters for use of their rototiller. Jennifer barters manure for fresh veggies all summer. Goats are bartered for furniture and bedding. Just yesterday, I bartered a section of stovepipe for a large bag of apples.

Cars, in my community, frequently get, bartered. Old Bob will own the car for a few months; then we’ll see, Maude, driving it for another couple of months—pretty soon, everyone on the mountain has, “owned” the car.

Bartering is the perfect system for rural communities. More often, than not, country folk are on fixed incomes or have seasonal jobs. There’s no extra money in their budget for improvements or services; bartering is the only alternative for getting the job done. The barter system keeps the community going, and contributes to the close-knit community spirit, of independence and self-reliance.

Some economists would say, that the barter system is contributing to the downfall of our rural communities, and if we were to pay for the goods and services we require, instead of using the barter system, it would boost our local economy, and provide services for the community. Whilst I’m not knocking the homeless shelters or food banks—they are wonderful resources for rural communities; I believe monies should be spent on public transportation, free child-care and realistic welfare checks.

I’m sure you’d use the barter system, if you had to raise five kids on a welfare check of $275 per month. It doesn’t help matters, when huge corporations, hire workers, then lay them off, after six to eight weeks during winter, leaving them jobless and out in the cold, just so they don’t have to pay these good people health and other benefits. Sometimes workers will be asked to come into work for two hours. Two hours? That means zero profit for these workers, after they’ve paid for gasoline, babysitters and wear and tear on their vehicles. In fact, two hours pay at minimum wage, wouldn’t cover these items, which means workers are having to use their money for the privilege of keeping a job; a job which just weeks down the road, will lay them off anyway!

The copyright of the article Country Economics--The Barter System in Rural Country Living is owned by . Permission to republish Country Economics--The Barter System in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.