Barter Economies

From: johnjmedway (jjm@zycor.lgc.com)
Date: Fri 28 Jan 1994 - 17:31:53 EET


Wayne Shaw:
>>
>> In practice, any relative worth table is going to come out to being a
>> cost table anyway. Aftermath has a primarily barter based economy, but

Obviously.

>> all that meant was that prices were in "barter points". Just list them
>> in coins and let the GM worry about the barter conversion.

I'd suggest the reverse.

1. Assigning everything a barter value reminds players and referrees alike
   that these are mostly barter economies. Once reminded, they'll be more
   likely to play that way.

2. Allowing referees to determine the coin value of a "barter point" also
   handles an old bugaboo of most games: What happens to an economy when
   some ADVENTURER ( ack! ) brings home a big pile of coin. There are two
   answers, and this will allow both:
   a. the player has enough extra to feel pretty good, but not enough to

          affect local prices
   b. enough coin is introduced to wreck the coin-value of goods, at least
          for a time ( inflation )

   That last part handles the fact that just as goods may not be evenly
   distributed from region to region, so may money be as poorly distributed.

3. Allows for varying rates of exchange between monies, and preferential
   forms of money. Why is the Clack universally a tenth of a lunar? Why is
   a Wheel universally 20L? In an culture where the value of the metal in
   the coin is part of the monetary value of the coin, this won't fly.
   
   Some Yelmalios mash silver coins into lumps before using them. This
   shows a disregard for the established currency.

   Also, do you *really* think that some Lokarnos merchant has the same
   opinion of Bolgs, as does an Etyries?
   
   Etc.

P.S. Since this is a cultural question, as well as a RQ4 concern, ought
         this be cross-posted to Henk's list ?

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