Beyond Supply and Demand: The Moral Economy of Price Formation in Slab City

Abstract

This article investigates the unique economic practices of Slab City, California, an off‐grid community that rejects mainstream US values. Despite operating within the broader US economic system, Slab City residents have developed alternative forms of exchange, using cigarettes and cannabis alongside US dollars. The article examines the symbolic meanings associated with these alternative currencies, arguing that their value derives from symbolic gestures of trust and solidarity, reflecting a rejection of surplus value extraction and an embrace of shared economic experience. The analysis dives into Slab City's moral economy, highlighting the community's reliance on collective action for resource provisioning, such as weekly rituals of free meals, communal water tanks, and group efforts in resource acquisition and distribution. Contrasting Slab City's internal economic practices with the exploitative practices of the investor–state nexus in surrounding towns, the article underscores the community's commitment to mutual aid and challenges to capitalist norms. Finally, the article highlights the fluidity of monetary forms and the potential for alternative currencies to emerge within specific social contexts.