However, trade and commerce have always been part of subsistence systems. Goods have been traded for thousands of years in Alaska. The commercial fur trade with European markets began about 300 years ago, bringing European currencies and goods into Alaska. So commercial enterprise and money have been part of traditional subsistence economies for a long time. Rural Alaska's economies do operate differently from urban economies, however.
Monetary jobs tend to be few and unstable.
Monetary incomes tend to be small and insecure. Economic activity tends to occur in family groups, rather than business firms. Economic ventures tend to be small scale. Economic goals tend to be for the benefit of family groups, rather than monetary profits for business firms. These are major differences.