In this work we present a baryon-antibaryon bootstrap model which, for the meson spectrum, we understand to be an alternative of the quark model. Starting from the baryon octets, the forces are constructed from thet-channel singularities of the nearest meson multiplets and transformed into anSU 3 symmetric potential. At this stage we assume that the baryon and meson multiplets are degenerate. Any contributions from theu-channel are neglected for it is exotic and only contains the deuteron. The dynamical equation governing the bootstrap system is the relativistic analogue of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation which is an integral equation in the baryon c.m. momentum. The potential is chosen to take account of relativistic effects. Inelastic contributions such as two-meson intermediate states are neglected. Reasons why they must be small are discussed. We are looking for a self-consistent solution of the bootstrap system in which baryon-antibaryon bound-state multiplets, to be interpreted as mesons, are forced to coincide with the input meson multiplets. Furthermore, the output coupling constants andF/D ratios have, to a certain extent, to agree with their input values. Practically, it is required that the bootstrap system consists of only a few multiplets, the remainder being decoupled approximately. A self-consistent solution is found comprising scalar, pseudoscalar and vector singlets and octets with masses being in good agreement with their average physical masses. The coupling constants andF/D ratios turn out to be consistent with experiment and other ideas. Possible origins ofSU 3 breaking are then investigated. The spontaneous break-down ofSU 3 is ruled out by the fact that the dynamics is stable against small perturbations of the input masses. Instead, a solution of the symmetry breaking is given in terms of bootstrapped singlet-octet mixing.