Barter and Atomism

While, as has been previously discussed, Smith's system can be classified as an Event-Atomism, it still presupposes an Entity-Atomism. For, in his examples, the basic unit of the system, the Exchange, which originates in the propensity to Barter, is constituted by two parties, each seeking to trade a surplus product for something needed. But, it is far from unthinkable that a multiplicity within any such party is any less primitive than an individual, e. g. two brothers. Now, in some cases, e. g. a contractual partnership, that multiplicity can be itself analyzed as the product of an exchange, but, in others, e. g. blood relatives, the reduction is more difficult. Furthermore, the latter not only presents a possible counter-example to either variety of Atomism, it suggests that the social-instinct that informs the propensity to Barter is itself a special case of a more fundamental organic togetherness, i.e. that Barter is already molecular.