ANT378H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Medieval Commune, Neoliberalism, Free Trade
Document Summary
Two approaches to understanding human economic behaviour: formalist economic model. January 14, 2015: adam smith was key figurehead for the theory, assumes people are: Engaging in rational calculation (cost-benefit analysis of various options to spend money on) Dealing with a scarcity in means (money), why they have to choose: substantivist economic model rationally and calculatedly, bronislaw malinowski was key figurehead, assumes people are: Not always subjected to conditions of scarcity. Decisions shaped by society and culture (1886-1964) Trobrianders: householding, the embedded economy, spheres of exchange. Like a pendulum you pull to one side, but it swings to the opposite extreme as well. When society reached extreme destitution and economy, there was a swing-back process of re-embedding the economy (around the time of the second world war) Due to development of state socialism in countries like soviet union, or social welfare and assistance in countries like canada/usa.