A common economic narrative suggests that early human societies universally progressed from a primary system of direct exchange (barter) to a monetary system due to the inherent inefficiencies of finding someone who wants what you have and has what you want. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate critique of this narrative based on historical and anthropological findings?

Historical and anthropological evidence strongly supports the theory that most societies passed through a prolonged stage where barter was the primary and dominant form of economic exchange before the invention of money.

Critique of the Barter-to-Money Progression

Evaluating a Historical Economic Claim