GEOG 2LE3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Commodity Fetishism, Social Relation
4 Jun 2018
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Lecture 9 - Commodity Chains I: The Commodity
What is a Commodity?: Something useful that enters the market and is available for purchase to
consumers
What is a Commodity Chain?: Commodity chains link the process of extraction/harvest (raw material),
manufacturing/processing, distribution, retail, consumption and post consumption.
Commodity Disconnections
• The capitalist system hides dimensions of production, including geographical origins.
• Consumers are disconnected from producers.
• Where was it made?
• Who made it?
• Under what conditions was it made?
• How long did it take to make?
• Where in the chain is value added?
• What processes and people played a role in getting the commodity to the store shelf?
The Role of Advertising:
• Conceals or misrepresents the origins and social relations of production.
• Advertisements give meaning to products that are far removed from the realities of their
production.
-Advertising is a form of marketing communication used to encourage, persuade, or manipulate an
audience to take or continue to take some action (usually consumer behaviour).
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