Is Barter a Hobson’s Choice? A theory of barter and credit rationing

This paper proposes a theoretical monetary model to inquire as to whether the growth and decline in barter transactions between firms in Russia during the 1990s was the result of credit rationing or firms' optimal decision. The model also provides an explanation for the negative correlations between the share of total transactions between firms conducted through barter and inflation, and also to the quick decline in barter transactions that followed the 1998 currency crisis.