Economic Anthropology: Production and Exchange Modes

Economic Anthropology

Study of human material needs and production.

Modes of Production

Different systems for producing goods and services.

Domestic Production

Kinship-based production among foragers and farmers.

Tributary Production

Production for rulers, involving tribute systems.

Capitalist Production

Private ownership and labor for profit generation.

Fair-Trade Coffee Farmers

Small-scale farmers in Guatemala's coffee industry.

Salaula in Zambia

Informal economy focused on clothing recycling.

Modes of Exchange

Systems for transferring goods and services.

Reciprocity

Gift-giving that fosters social relationships.

Generalized Reciprocity

No specified value or time for gifts.

Balanced Reciprocity

Equal value exchange expected in transactions.

Negative Reciprocity

Attempt to gain without giving back.

Redistribution

Centralized accumulation and later dispersal of goods.

Potlatch

Ceremonial redistribution of wealth among communities.

Markets

Institutions regulating trade based on supply and demand.

General Purpose Money

Medium for exchange and wealth storage.

Commodity

Goods produced for sale or exchange.

Social Life of Objects

Cultural significance attached to commodities.

Global Supply Chains

Worldwide networks for moving commodities.

Political Economy

Study of economic relations within societal structures.

Structural Violence

Institutional harm preventing basic needs fulfillment.

Community Economies Framework

Promotes interdependence to reduce economic inequities.

Goal of Economic Anthropology

Support equality through understanding economic systems.