Now, before you even read this or even consider getting mad, realize that I understand that this paticular system will NOT work for large groups of people. This, however, is not my goal. My goal is to get me and perhaps a small community out of what I view to be a flawed system. :) (I may work from there if I can even get it to work on a small scale...)

For starters, and again, don't think I am Too kooky for feeling this way please. I can handle you thinking I'm a little kooky, because well maybe I am, but, it's been my dream for a while.

It started out as kind of a joke. I was considering how broke I was going to be when I finally finished all of my schooling and actually started to be a vet (I got a long way to go, I am still only sixteen) because, there is no way that I would be able to turn down a sick or even unspayed animal just because its owners happen to be too poor to afford the fix. I find it ridiculous how much of doctors and vets in general today are in it for the profit. This is not to say that there are not good vets out there, because they are some of my favorite people, but some of them are in it for all of the wrong reasons.

From there, I decided that I could just barter or trade with them. You know, gee my house has a leak, you're a roofer, I'll fix your dog, if you will fix my roof type of thing. So, I went to find out more about it on my handy dandy United States government web site... The only thing that I found was for what I would owe the IRS by doing this.

Needless to say, that ticked me off, so here is my plan thus far. I am going to pay off all of my outstanding debts, give myself a savings account just in case, and then cold turkey, no more capitalism for me. Only, it's not that easy. Even after I give up the more obvious things, there is property tax, insurance for the practice, drugs and supplies for the practice, and those are only a few. Luckily, living in Washington I avoid state tax (whew...)

Well, since they don't want me to give up the capitalist system for obvious reasons, it's difficult to find ways to avoid say having my house repossessed and eventually going to jail for my cause. So, I was wondering if any of you folks out there had any tips or any more information than I currently have, which is pretty much nothing, except for the US gov. makes it tough, but not impossible.

Thanks! :D

try libertydollars.com

-MT

Well, since they don't want me to give up the capitalist system for obvious reasons, ...

How odd that you say that ....using the barter system IS a capitalist system! The only thing you're wanting to do is eliminate "dollars", which is, essentially, promisory notes for services rendered. It ain't no different to giving your roofer a note promising to give him the ten goats that you agreed for him to fix your roof. That note is the same thing as giving him "dollars".

Baron Max

First off: Congratulations on using punctuation and correct spelling. I'm sixteen as well, so I understand how infuriatingly rare that is.

I don't think it would be very efficient, though. It assumes that whoever you'd desire services from would have a pet that required attention. What if the plumber didn't have a pet? Or what if he had a pet, but it didn't need a check-up at the time you needed a pipe fixed? Also, the value of getting your pipe fixed might be greater than the value of getting his dog fixed (ba-dum-ching...actually, I didn't intend a pun there), in which case, he'll demand some additional compensation most likely, not wanting to lose money in the exchange overall--because he'll still want to make money in dollars, probably (I doubt you'll be able to get people from every needed profession to join you in this, so there will probably be those that still want perfectly "equal" trade.) Or if the value of you fixing his dog is greater than the value of getting a pipe fixed, then you're being slightly cheated. And as hard as it is to make enough money, you don't want to volunteer yourself to a situation where you can get slightly cheated all the time with no alternative. A single increment of money is nearly worthless, which is one reason it's so useful; you can narrow down the exchange value of things pretty exactly. With services, you do a service or you don't. There aren't as many gradual steps. We use cash because it's more practical. And if you question that, then you question ancient China, and that's simply not acceptable.

And Baron Max is right about the capitalism--you're just cutting out cash. It's still capitalism.

but its not mercantilism. in true capitalism people barter for a deal which is equally beneficial, ensuring relative equality. but when you allow corporations to exist and charge set prices while paying their workers next to nothing, that is the evil which he was referring to.

in true capitalism people barter for a deal which is equally beneficial, ensuring relative equality.

Where did you learn that little tidbit of ....ahh, bullshit?

Capitalism is about making a profit. Capitalism is about selfish greed, nothing more, nothing less ......but it's about that for BOTH or ALL parties in the deals. If one party is too stupid to make a good deal, then he loses!

Baron Max

but both parties want to make a deal beneficial to them, so it turns out to be a fair trade, as neither party will agree to a detrimental deal

but both parties want to make a deal beneficial to them, so it turns out to be a fair trade, as neither party will agree to a detrimental deal

Only if they each know exactly the same things! If 'A' tries to make a deal with 'B' for the minerals rights under the ground, and 'B' don't know the value of oil, but 'A' does know the value, then.....? See?

It's easy to make simple statements and make it seem that everything is just wonderful. But when you examine it more closely, things can go awry quickly. Yes, the trade above was deemed fair by both parties ...until 'B' discovered that the oil under his property was worth gazillions of dollars, and he only got $2 for it!

So, tell me, vslayer, was it beneficial for both? Was it a fair trade? Is 'A' somehow required to educate 'B' about his mineral rights?

Baron Max