Non-market economics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Non-market economics is the study of the production, trade, and distribution of goods and services via mechanisms other than the market. Non-market economies do not operate through the exchange of money. Barter is usually considered a type of a commodity-economy, so it is generally not considered a non-market economy. This type of exchange is also called reciprocity. This includes unilateral giving such as gifts and bilateral giving, meaning a person gives a gift expecting to be repaid at some unspecified time.

The study of non-market economics is typically a part of economic anthropology. Among the founders of the discipline are Karl Bücher and Karl Polanyi.

Critics of non-market systems consider them "primitive", but this is disputed by their advocates. There are, however, elements of non-market economics in very "advanced" market economies, even today.