Re: Defintion of exchange (was: [ox-en] RE: Open Money?)
- From: "B. Fallenstein" <b.fallenstein gmx.de>
- Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 16:12:28 +0100
Hi Stefan, Kermit et.al.!
Stefan Merten wrote:
This pops up the question what capitalist means to you. I understand
any society based on exchange as capitalist - even the former Soviet
Union.
By that definition, even a colony of ants qualifies as capitalist. What do
you mean by "exchange"?
Indeed that's the right question here.
I think "exchange" is not the ideal word, because the point here (I
think) is that one thing *is given away to get another*. In other words,
one *thing of value* is exchanged with *another thing of value*, which
we'd rather have than the first one. I think "trade" would be a better
word. "Exchange" can mean "trade," but it does not in the context of a
colony of ants. (And remember that German "ich tausche X gegen Y" would
more likely be translated as "I trade X for Y" than "I exchange X with Y...")
Maybe best would be to say that what's meant here is the least common
denominator of "exchange" and "trade" ;-)
- Benja
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