With all the talk about trade and tariffs in recent months, I’ve been considering the impact of capitalism and market driven economics on our lives and our planet. Has the time come to say no to greed and look for another way? Could the Indigenous principles of reciprocity and the gift economy be the answer?

Consumption is not making us happy

In Can we tame our love of shopping to save the Earth? I considered the impact of our insatiable desire for consumption. I often wonder why we continue to exhaust ourselves on the treadmill of consumption. Why is it so difficult to tune out the messages of “Buy! Buy! And buy more!”?

Stepping off the consumption treadmill takes courage. In our consumer culture, it’s like swimming against the tide. But when we pause and look more closely, who wins when we buy stuff? The ultra rich get richer as many people keep buying stuff they don’t need while falling further behind financially.

It’s time to think differently!

Is the gift economy the answer?

In her book The Serviceberry, Robin Wall Kimmerer proposes a gift economy as an alternative to the market economy. Fuelled by gratitude and reciprocity, the gift economy is a refreshing change from the greed and scarcity that’s so pervasive in our world.

Ultimately, everything we consume comes from the Earth. When we start to think of all that comes from the Earth as gifts rather than commodities, our relationship with the natural world changes.

The focus of the industrial economy is on extraction and commoditization of the Earth’s gifts, leaving us detached from any form of mutual responsibility. Kimmerer tells us the Anishinaabe believe receiving a gift from the land is coupled with responsibilities of sharing, respect, reciprocity and gratitude.

While it may not be realistic to completely transform the market economy, perhaps we can embrace elements of the gift economy. It could be the key to slowing down the consumption treadmill just enough so we can step off and breathe again.

Currency of the gift economy

In a market economy, every transaction ends with the exchange of money. We bought something, so we own it and can do whatever we want with it. On the other hand, the gift economy’s currency of gratitude and reciprocity keeps gifts moving throughout the system.

In a climate of sufficiency, our hunger for more abates, and we take only what we need, in respect for the generosity of the giver.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry

The dictionary defines reciprocity as, “A situation or relationship in which two people or groups agree to do something similar for each other.” And the thesaurus tells us it’s the opposite of greed, hostility, and antagonism—qualities that are all too common in the world today.  

Shifting our thinking

Kimmerer points out that the gift economy requires some fundamental shifts in thinking—from scarcity to abundance and from accumulation to sharing. 

The fundamental principle of economics is supply and demand. For capitalist market strategies to function, there must be scarcity. Scarcity fuels a mindset of fear and hoarding—keeping things for ourselves so we don’t have to be dependent on others to help us when we need something.

When the natural world is understood as a gift instead of private property, there are ethical constraints on the accumulation of abundance that is not yours to own.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry

In a gift economy, wealth is understood as having enough to share. The way to deal with abundance is to give it away rather than hoard it for ourselves.

This mindset of abundance and sharing creates trust and community. We share what we don’t need with others with a belief that the Earth will provide for our future needs.

Gifts are not meant to be hoarded and thus made scarce for others, but given away, which generates sufficiency for all.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry

One of the most beautiful Indigenous traditions is the potlatch—a ceremony where wealth is redistributed through gifting. Those who give more earn greater respect in the community. Contrast that mindset with a market economy where we idolize those who accumulate wealth, usually at the expense of others. Sadly, European settlers banned the potlatch because they saw it as contrary to the “civilized values of accumulation.”

But is a way of life where the gap between the have and the have-nots widens with every generation really all that civilized?

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Examples of gift economies

A mindset of sufficiency or, as Kimmerer calls it, “enoughness” feels radical in an economy that wants us to consume more and accumulate more. But we can take inspiration from existing examples of gift economies.

• Freecycle and Buy Nothing groups let us find new homes for goods we no longer need by offering them to others for free. I use our local Buy Nothing group all the time, and it always feels good to experience the gratitude when someone comes to pick up an item. 
• Clothing swaps and book swaps are easy to organize among friends.
• Little Free Libraries are another way to give books away and pick up new books to read. Check out their website to find one in your neighbourhood. 
• Although not as obvious, YouTube is filled with people giving their time and expertise to help others. 
• Little Free Pantries help with food insecurity by offering non-perishable food items to those who need them.

Over time, I’ve learned that buying less, living a simpler life, and adopting a mindset of gratitude has made a huge difference in my quality of life. And I can redirect the money I save to more important priorities.

If you’re ready to step off the consumption treadmill, I highly recommend The Serviceberry. It’s a fascinating read that offers an alternative to the greed-fuelled drive to buy and consume more than the Earth can sustain.

What other examples of the gift economy come to mind for you? Drop me a comment below and let me know.