> Unlike in barter, in a gift economy no one keeps track of who owes what to whom My reading of gift economies is that there often is some element reciprocity.

> Unlike in barter, in a gift economy no one keeps track of who owes what to whom My reading of gift economies is that there often is some element reciprocity. In any given context, there might not be a direct exchange of gifts, but those not participating in the process over time get excluded from future gifting. And there are all sorts of "social status" and signaling effects that make this much more than just altruism.