2021.02.08: The Economic Consequences of Gift Giving


An exploration into the origins of palace economies, the economics of gift exchanges, and how this impacts inequality. This post primarily touches on economic anthropology, but you will probably find it interesting if you have an interest in history, social contract theory, inequality, game theory, or human ecology.


Hi, my name is Julien Kuzniarek and I'm a Web Developer at the University of South Florida in Tampa where I build and maintain the Department of Research & Innovation's internal web applications.

Though I originally built this website as a portfolio project several years ago, it has evolved since then through several iterations as both my skills and interests have changed. Like the other times I've rebuilt my website, the primary purpose was to expand my knowledge and web development experience by trying out new technologies. Now though, it also provides a place for me to share some of my thoughts and projects with the world.

Some of my interests include: anthropology, urban planning, mass transit, history, philosophy, hiking, reading, and of course computer programming. Many of these subjects interest me due to my fascination with systems analysis and design combined with my propensity to examine both the impact of the perspectives people hold on their actions and decisions, and the cascading effects that can occur from small changes to a system.