Debt: The First 5,000 Years -

: A return to credit money as major empires collapsed.

: Graeber explains how the phrase "surely one has to pay one's debts" acts as a moral bludgeon, making even the most predatory or violent relationships seem fair and unremarkable. The 5,000-Year Cycle Debt: The First 5,000 Years

: Coinage and slavery rose alongside large standing armies. : A return to credit money as major empires collapsed

: Virtual credit money dominated.

: Typically found around $11.31 – $26.99 at retailers like Alibris or Barnes & Noble . : Virtual credit money dominated

: The book argues that hard currency (coins) did not arise from trade but from war and state violence . Coins were minted primarily to pay soldiers, while taxes were demanded back in that same currency to force conquered populations into the market. Debt as a Moral Trap