Ama-gi
Ama-gi is a Sumerian word (written ama-gi4 𒂼𒄄, also ama-ar-gi4) expressing the emancipation of slaves and release from peonage through the cancellation of debts. Literally translated, it means "return to the mother," inasmuch as former slaves were "returned to their mothers, (i.e., freed)."[1] Although historians note that the meaning of the term is closer to "freedom," [2] and point out that it is related to traditions of public debt relief like the Jewish jubilee, [3] many libertarians believe it to be the first written expression of the concept of liberty.[4]
The cuneiform spelling ama-gi4 has been adopted as a symbol by several "liberty"-oriented groups. The journal of the Hayek Society at the London School of Economics, the largest libertarian student group in England,[citation needed] is titled Ama-gi.[4] The symbol is used as a logo by the Instituto Politíco para la Libertad of Peru,[5] and another version is a trademarked logo of the publishing firm, Liberty Fund.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character, Samuel Noah Kramer, 1971.
- ^ Fischer, David Hackett (2005). Liberty and Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 864. ISBN 978-0195162530. http://books.google.com/books?id=uc8KP_QtW-sC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- ^ Graeber, David (2011). Debt: The First 5000 Years. Melville House. ISBN 978-1933633862.
- ^ a b Yu, Erica C.. "Editor-in-Chief". ama-gi. Hayek Society. http://personal.lse.ac.uk/maab/amagi2004a.pdf. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Instituto Politico para la Libertad - Inicio". www.iplperu.com. http://www.iplperu.com/. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ Liberty Fund, Inc. website
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