EH.R: Re: Is Trade Unique to Humans?

[Ross B. Emmett]

I wanted to contribute 2 points to this conversation that emerge from the Adam Smith reference made earlier.

1) The difference between trade and reciprocity: animals reciprocate, no doubt. But do they exchange? Here's how I understand the difference, although I'd love to hear that I'm wrong, so I can improve the argument!

Reciprocity is an exchange of equally weighted favors or privileges. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Human trade includes reciprocal action, but extends beyond it to exchanges in which the weighting of the goods and/or services by the individuals involved may or may not be equal. You see it as an old lot your family owned and left vacant all these years; I see it as a new sub-division of a nearby expanding city. I pay you more than you think it's worth (as an old lot); and I think I got a deal (for a new sub-division).

[Note: I see no way of separating trade from reciprocity without invoking some reference to the uniquely human propensity to make prudential decisions regarding the use of current resources for future trading actions: a point that Robert Malthus added to Smith in the context of family planning.]

2) Smith also saw trade as closely linked to language; in fact, he comes very close to equating the two. My understanding of the debate over "can animals talk?" reflects the points just made about reciprocity and trade(and hence, foresight). My suspicion is that if animals have language (or will evolve to the point of having language) than they will also trade (and trade with us, presumably).

My own conclusion at this point is that both trade and language are uniquely
human because they require prudential decision-making that requires the capacity to make plans about future trading and carry them out through actions today. This requires the ability to place a value on the use of current resources in those future trading actions. But I have no problem agreeing that animals share the rudiments of this capacity because they engage in reciprocal action in the short term and can communicate some sense of what the action means to them.

Ross B. Emmett