first dude: "hey i have way too many potatoes, here is some".
second dude: "i have too much milk, here is some."
First dude: I have too many potatoes, but sure would love some milk. Want to trade?
Second dude: Sure, I have way too much milk, and I'd love some potatoes. What do you say to 5 potatoes per gallon?
First dude: It's a deal, and any time you want more, just come on by.
Of course, this is inefficient, and there's no guarantee that the guy who has milk wants potatoes. Maybe the guy who wants potatoes has corn, and the guy who has milk wants corn, but not potatoes. That's why we invented money. To facilitate trade.
simpler solution: put it one big pile, take what you need.
That might work. Except: How do you deal with the people who inevitably take more than they "need"? Or who takes, but doesn't add to the pile? For that matter, how do you decide how much you "need"?
change the "need" to "want", does not really matter. if people are unwilling to trade, there would be no gain for a "thieve", except having rotten potatoes laying around.
I see. Doesn't really answer how you deal with the "free rider" problem. Bill, Alice, Carl, and Dave all contribute what they can to the pile, and take what they need. Edward, however, takes their produce, and goes home, adding nothing. After a while of this, Felicia sees that Edward is getting away with it, so she starts just taking from the pile, too. Perhaps Dave see Edward and Felicia just taking, and, fed up, stops adding. How long before no one is adding to the pile any more?
people are easily bored, and people wants to support the pile-community. maybe there are nothing for Edward to do, or his "job"/function is another one, he fixes houses or something. Edward would be free to do what he likes. and he will not forget who fed him, while he was working on some potato farm research.
Edward would be bored if he does not do something, and that something could be productive for the community. Consider Edward a investment.
Mathematicians are often "inventing" stuff that are useless, just for the lulz, and then the stuff gets useful. They are fed full even when they don't contribute with anything useful.
and Alice would not quit, for the same reason. what would she do instead?
(oh god, im hungover. feel like im shit in explaining)