Debt: The First 5,000 Years

“Debt: The First 5,000 Years” is a large-scale and innovative study of the trade-money relationship from the earliest times to the present day. American anthropologist and professor at the London School of Economics David Graeber describes how the phenomenon of debt obligations manifests itself in completely different social institutions—from government decisions to close friendships. These disagreements underlie basic ideas about morality and truth. In ancient legal documents and religious writings, the use of words such as “sin,” “guilt,” or “redemption” is, for the most part, tied to conflict between creditor and debtor. Disputes about debts and their forgiveness weren’t only at the center of political debates around the world—from Italy to China—but also became the cause of countless uprisings and military conflicts.

Listen to the audiobook performed by journalist and radio host of “Kommersant FM,” Oleg Bulgak.

“Bold and engrossing, this book is a philosophical study of the nature of debt—where it came from and how it evolved,”

– The New York Times Book Review

“Challenging traditional ideas about the origins of money and markets, this pioneering study kicked off a lively discussion about the evolution of our economic system,”

– The New Yorker

“One of the most influential books of the year. Graeber links the rise of credit to the emergence of class society, the breakdown of societies based on the ‘web of mutual obligations,’ and the ever-present threat of physical violence underlying all social relations based on money,”

– The Guardian