Posted on 05/06/2018 11:11:31 AM PDT by blam
For Venezuela's economy, the ascent into socialist paradise did not turn out quite as planned: in fact, under the Maduro regime, the country with the world's biggest petroleum reserves somehow reversed course, and crashed through every single circle of economic hell, and now that its hyperinflation has hit levels that would make even Mugabe and Rudy von Havenstein blush, all that's left is barter.
And, as Fabiola Zerpa explains as part of Bloomberg's fascinating "Life in Caracas" series, i.e., watching economic and social collapse in real-time, in Venezuela, a haircut now costs 5 bananas and 2 eggs.
The other day, I made a baguette-for-parking swap. It worked out brilliantly
I had time but, as usual, no bolivars. The attendant at the cash-only lot had some bills but no chance to leave his post during the fleeting moments the bakery nearby put his favorite bread on sale. The deal: He let me leave my car, and I came back with an extra loaf, acquired with my debit card. He reimbursed me—giving me a bonus of spare change for my pocket.
That’s how we make do in our collapsing economy. If somebody has lots of one thing and too little of another, an arrangement can be made. I’ve exchanged corn meal for rice with friends from high school, eggs for cooking oil with my sister-in-law. Street vendors barter, too, taking, say, a kilo of sugar as payment for one of flour. There are Facebook pages and chat-room groups devoted to the swap-ability of everything from toothpaste to baby formula.
A barber in the countryside cuts hair for yuccas, bananas or eggs. Moto-taxi drivers will get you where you need to go for carton of cigarettes. The owners of one of my favorite Mexican restaurants offer a plate
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(Excerpt) Read more at goldismoney2.com ...
A friend got a hand-tailored 3-piece suit fro 5 steaks and 3 cartons of cigarettes....
Both East Germany and North Korea built walls to keep their people in.Both West Germany and South Korea were stable,peaceful and prosperous nations....their citizens had it far better in *every* way than their brothers and sisters on the other side of the wall.
The people of East Germany were able to pick up West German TV and radio.I don't believe that North Koreans have the ability to see what's going on in the South. IMO that's important to note.
Is that one of the high-priced areas? I lived in Bakersfield for about a decade, haircuts there were about $14. In Tennessee I think they’re barely over 10.
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