Anthropology Final Exam: Economy

Generalized Reciprocity

A mode of exchange in which the value of the gift is not calculated, nor is the time of repayment specified.

Big Man/Woman Societies and how they work economically/politically

Found in Papa New Guinea- PIGS are EVERYTHING-You gain prestige through generosity= to giving away or lending out pigs, -tribal society/ not gender restrictive, -power based on being kind and generous, political influence comes with prestige so trading pigs can bring power, however, power is temporary. -because you give away all your pigs so you gain power but then you are poor and cannot give out any pigs and you get pigs so you lose power, but then since you get pigs you then gain enough to start giving out again so you regain your power -based on different ideas of consumption than American Society

Increasing energy subsidy

Human labor → Animal labor → Fossil fuel

Foraging Societies

Minimalism, finite needs, easy to satisfy needs, (Jutuansy people) -Relatively equality of consumption

Beaver

leads to genocidal warfare- Iroquois big in the beaver trade, made up of league of 5 nations/ confederacy joined as one have a Constitution and a Congress and a participatory democracy. French fur beaver hats become popular in Europe>Economic demand for Beaver fur leads to Euros trading more with Iroquois> makes Iroquois really strong> Iroquois and Herons go to war over beaver land areas/ fur trade> Iroquois commit genocide and wipe out Heron people>they continue on to wipe our Erie nation and neutral neighbors> Heron people run west and attack Sioux and Chippewa people in Great Lakes> so Sioux people run west and become plain nomads and find wild horses> and that's where the stereotype for Native Americans came from. -Basically causes a cycle of violence between Native Americans nations across the U.S./ beaver trade> typical Native American stereotype.

Deer

leads to undermining of social structure- Deer Trade among Cherokee- young men gain power through hunting prowess, ritual, diplomatic roles, women farm, craft, take care of children - mix econ of corn farming (women) and deer hunting (men). In society you get to be powerful in this time by being good at your job, entering warfare, killing people, and then when you're old you get to be an elder! -Euros show up and need deer fur so they trade with these young men hunters. This makes these young men very wealthy by opening them up to outside economy.> This creates new class of wealthy young men> they force their way into council (Run by elders)/ at the same time influenza strikes killing many of the elders> leaves hot headed war hungry young men in charge> Cherokee society collapse and reconstructed as tribes.

Expected Generosity

weddings are an example of this, the expectation to have a large wedding and have a wedding cake by your friends, family, etc. ( Ex: true in U.S and India/ in Potlatch culture if you don't have Potlatch you can be enslaved)

Redistribution

A mode of exchange in which goods flow into a central place, where they are stored counted and reallocated

Balanced Reciprocity

A mode of exchange in which the giving and receiving are specific as to the value of the goods and the time of delivery.

Negative Reciprocity

A mode of exchange in which the aim is to get something for as little as possible. Neither fair nor balanced, it may involve hard bargaining, manipulation, outright cheating, or theft.

Kula Ring

A form of balanced reciprocity that reinforces trade and social relations among the seafaring Melanesians who inhabit a large ring of islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. -The Trobriand Islanders traded soulava (necklaces) and mwali (armbands) from island to island in the Trobriand ring. -According to the Kula peoples, the armbands and necklaces are of equal value, but the trading of the jewelry is an insurance policy amongst the various islands in the Trobriand ring. This process enforces interdependence economically, therefore eliminating war and violence amongst them. -This practice was observed and recorded by Bronislaw Malinowski.

Industrial/ Capitalist societies

Consumerism, Infinite needs- biologically you only NEED a few things, food, water, etc. but in our culture you need money to get these things and to get money you need a job and to get a job you need to be educated. -Need cultural needs even though they're just cultural (ex: U.S. culture is very consumer oriented) -substantial difference based on class, race/ ethnicity, gender, and age in consumption -ex: Food advertised toward men-red meat and women-salads, baby food for babies, wheat bread for the rich and white bread for the poor (this changed from the past when white bread was eaten by the rich and wheat was eaten by the poor)

Increasing capital investment

Cost of machinery/ other means of production

Decreasing sustainability (although no mode of production is inherently sustainable)

Eventually there will be no sustainable economic system. As population goes up it becomes less sustainable.

Potlatch

Happens in the American Northwest Coast - Competitive Generosity -Potlatch- is a party where the host gives gifts out, - but in this society there is a true class hierarchy, power you gain is permanent, ( chief, nobles, commoners, and slaves) -New adults in these societies are expected to through a Potlatch for all the people that know where basically they give out gifts that they've received throughout their whole lives back to everyone they know so you start your life in a system of debts and people owing you. -Chief stays in power because he has the nicest gifts so they can give out/ get the nicest stuff -Copper gifts are considered the most valuable nicest gifts in this society -When the Europeans show up they changed things big time. Europeans are interested in buying seal skins so they trade with young men of these societies giving them copper in exchange for seal trade. This in turn collapses the Native American's Econ -Basically, now these young men are suddenly extremely rich / can give out these nice gifts to all the other people who cannot possibly in turn give back gifts of the same value so this leads to people basically being enslaved by gift giving- generosity attack -can't refuse gifts or re-gift them to people so leads to these young men enslaving the chiefs/ chiefdoms enslaving / destroying other chiefdoms through gift giving - becomes a model of warfare ex: Haida does this to its neighbors -In Potlatch culture your name has a market value, misinterpretation between a Scottish trader and a Nooka noble lead to the Nooka noble taking the Scottish traders name and then no other people would trade with the Scottsman because he had no name, so now there's Nooka people who have a Scottish name

Competitive Generosity

Potlatch is an example of competitive generosity

Trends in economic development

Shift from collecting and using resources to active production. Loss of hunting and gathering.

Miskito and Turtles

The Miskito Indians Love TURTLES!!! Turtles provide everything for them- meat, prestige, payment for debts, source of income. Gain prestige through being a good turtle hunter, chief has the best turtle hunting info -structure of tools etc. Chiefdom society, where the class system is maintained by chiefs and nobles loaning out turtle hunting stuff to common people -This gets all messed up when Spanish come. At first Spanish pay little attention to Miskito people, but then turtle soup becomes popular in Europe so Spanish enlist Miskito people to hunt turtles for the Spanish in exchange for money. - high demand for turtles in Europe> leads to over-exploitation in Miskito's turtle hunting> turtles on the brink of extinction but Miskito need to kill more turtles to buy more foods> Collapse of Miskito economy> Collapse of Miskito Chiefdom and the Spanish absorb the Miskito people - traditional means of establishing rank are upset due to overflow of turtle hunting

Leveling Mechanisms

a cultural obligation compelling prospective members of a community to give away goods, host public feasts, provide free service, or otherwise demonstrate generosity so that no one permanently accumulates significantly more wealth than anyone else. - exist to prevent people from getting too wealthy- ex: Big Man/ Big Woman society- temporary power through pigs, U.S.- tax codes to tax wealthy more, Potlatch- gave gifts to gain permanent power stable class hard to have class mobility

Palaces and Monumental architecture used as status symbols

competition between the wealthy, status completion, maintain and support power of ruling class, real world effect of convincing others that ruling classes power is real and they deserve it, ruling class is able to exploit lower classes as a part of maintaining their power (Teotihuacan- priests and nobles benefit from temples built by lower classes/ England- child labor during Industrial Rev.)