ABSTRACT
This chapter describes "Silverman Martin" and "Tovetura'' as personae who constituted two poles on the chart of political possibilities envisioned by at least some of East New Britain 's contemporary shell-money users. Martin might turn out to be somewhat atypical of modern East New Britain youth. Indeed, many East New Britains used "Martin" as a point of rhetorical reference to appraise, shape, justify, and contest their political alternatives. Although the editorial purported to be an attack on the Martin -like behavior of politicians, it would, in effect, serve to remove the principal alternative. With the invocation of the "statesman," the triumph of capitalism was being enjoined, although many would find the argument unconvincing. Duke of York Islanders and Tolai have been described as preadapted to capitalism by virtue of their long experience in employing an indigenous, universal, and divisible currency.
