cultural anthropology - economy

economics

the study of how society manages its scarce resources

economic system

the structure of methods and principles that a society uses to produce and distribute goods and services

units of production

firm & household

division of labor based on gender roles

placed into several separate tasks to be performed by different workers that can be dependent on the age or gender of the person

gender specialization

-Women generally tend crops, gather wild foods, care for children, prepare food, clean house, fetch water, and collect cooking fuel

-Men usually hunt, build houses, clear land for cultivation, herd large animals, fish, trap small animals, and serve as political functionaries

reciprocity

the exchange of resources, goods, and services among people of relatively equal status; meant to create and reinforce social ties

generalized reciprocity

balanced reciprocity (kula ring)

negative reciprocity

generalized reciprocity

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

balanced reciprocity

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

negative reciprocity

exchange conducted for the purpose of material advantage and the desire to get something for nothing

Kula Ring

A mode 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

Redistribution

a form of exchange in which accumulated wealth is collected from the members of the group and reallocated in a different pattern

Potlach

A ceremonial feast used to display rank and prosperity in some Northwest Coast tribes of Native Americans, such as the Kwakiutl

market economy

an economy that allocates resources through the decentralized decisions of many firms and households as they interact in markets for goods and services

money

special purpose and multipurpose money

indentured

capitalist system

Bartering

Exchanging products or services with others by agreeing on their values without using money.

leveling mechanism

a cultural obligation compelling prosperous 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

consumption

spending by households on goods and services, with the exception of purchases of new housing

Commodities

a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.