Latvian translation of David Graeber’s “Debt. The first 5,000 years”

Informal estimates suggest that every third Latvian has at some point struggled with issues of debt. Nonetheless, such issues are rarely broached within the societal discourse. This is hopefully to be changed with the recent publication of the Latvian translation of US-American Prof. David Graeber’s publication “Debt. The first 5,000 years” on the history of debt. Originally published in 2011, the book takes a look at the phenomenon through an anthropological lens, exploring its historical links to social institutions such as marriage, religion and government.

On March 15, 2024, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in the Baltic States, together with the Latvian Association of Anthropologists (Latvijas Antropologu biedrība), presented the Latvian translation “Parāds. Pirmie piectūkstoš gadi”, published with Latvian “Tērbata”, in the meaningful location of the Latvian National Library. The translation was done by Andžela Šuvajeva, designer Klāra Grundšteine provided the design of the translated book.