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Sharing, gift-giving, and optimal resource use in hunter-gatherer society

Author

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  • Matthew J. Baker

    (Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY)

  • Kurtis J. Swope

    (United States Naval Academy)

Abstract

Hunter-gatherer societies are characterized by decentralized decision making and shared access to resources. Goods are distributed via reciprocal exchange, sharing, and gift-giving, in the end resulting in relatively equal distribution. Work effort, however, is not distributed equally; the best hunters exert a disproportionate share of productive effort. We argue that these features of the hunter-gatherer economy are interrelated, and are consistent with the view that customary gift-giving and sharing arrangements manage usage of open-access resources. In particular, sharing rules can induce optimal hunting effort, while gift-giving can serve to elicit information about hunter productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew J. Baker & Kurtis J. Swope, 2021. "Sharing, gift-giving, and optimal resource use in hunter-gatherer society," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 119-138, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ecogov:v:22:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10101-021-00254-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s10101-021-00254-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sharing; Gift-giving; Common property; Hunter-gatherers; Resource management;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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