The Gift Economy is a system in which goods and services are given without an explicit agreement for immediate or future compensation.
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What is a gift economy? - Alex Gendler, animation by Avi Ofer - TEDed 
This contrasts with market economies, where transactions are based on exchanges of money or equivalents. There is a lot of good historical detail and philisophical debate to dig into over on wikipedia
We should explore these historical examples and cultures in order to help with the design of: - Improbable Gifts.
# Historical Examples
1. **Indigenous Societies**: Many traditional societies, such as Native American tribes or Pacific Islanders, practiced gift economies. Gifts were exchanged to create and maintain social bonds, and generosity was highly valued. The exchange was not always about getting something in return immediately, but about strengthening relationships within the group.
2. **Feudal Systems**: In medieval Europe, the Feudal System worked in part through gift economies. Lords would provide protection or land to vassals in exchange for loyalty and military service, but these exchanges were often based on personal bonds rather than a strictly defined contract.
# Modern Examples
1. **Open Source Software**: The open-source movement operates as a modern example of a gift economy. Developers contribute their time and code without payment, motivated by a sense of community and shared purpose. Platforms like GitHub enable this exchange of work with little expectation of direct compensation.
2. Burning Man Festival: This annual festival in the United States is a large-scale example of a gift economy. Participants give art, time, and services without expecting payment, and the focus is on community participation rather than profit-making.
3. **Community Sharing**: In urban areas, community food-sharing projects or tool libraries often operate on a gift economy model. Members contribute what they can, whether that’s time, tools, or food, and receive what they need without financial transactions.
YOUTUBE 6S1egXWYwXo Charles Eisenstein: 'In a gift economy the more you give, the richer you are'
In these examples, the Gift Economy promotes relationships and trust, with the focus on communal well-being rather than individual profit. The idea is that generosity can create a stronger, more resilient community.
# See - Bonus and malus - Impossible.com