How to . . .

How do I get what I want?

Catch deer
Catch whales
Take deer meat from the storage pits of the tribe on the other side of the mountain.

...take their women, too

I might work. Catch the deer. Do a favor for a neighbor and get something back.

I might create. Create knife points, spear points, pretty language (poetry).

I might discover. Wealth in the ground. New, fresher water supply.

I might outsmart my neighbor. Get him to whitewash my shelter wall after I

convince him that will give him power to catch deer.

I might overpower my neighbor. Force him--and his mate--to do my bidding

so I won't have to overexert myself.

But what if I don't want to work?
Can't create (too dumb!)?
Too blind to go out and discover?
Always get outsmarted?
Too weak to overpower?

Here's an idea!

We will call it a "tollgate."

Put 'em up!
Everywhere.

We'll call it "economics."

Where might I put up my tollgate(s)?
Let's see...

People like to walk along the river...
Everybody must pay me to walk along the river.

People must eat...
Everybody must pay me to get food to eat.

People must breathe...
That's the best tollgate!

Everybody must pay me to get air to breathe

We'll call it "monopoly."