ANTH 1003 Chapter : Economics
Economics
10/16/2012 4:04:00 PM
Subsistence>>economics
Subsistence and economy are intertwined
Subsistence provides new material for economy and division of labor
Division of Labor
• Culturally assigned work tasks
• Become more diversified in more complex societies
• No necessary relationship between tasks and those assigned
• E.g., hunters and gathers sexual division of labor
• E.g., household residential group that organizes economy
Economics- choices that participants in a culture make affect how that group
makes use of available resources and distributes goods and services
produced by resources
Resources- raw material for economy
• Natural resources
• Information
• Leisure time
• Prestige
• “time is money, money is time”
Economic processes
• production
• distribution
• consumption
Economic system
• Social norms regulating production, distribution, consumption
• Integrates with all other aspects of culture
Productive resources
• Land
• Labor
• Water
• Tools
• Knowledge
Organization of labor
• Household
• Specialization
Distribution
• Reciprocity
o General reciprocity-giving and expecting back
o Balanced reciprocity-when you keep track of the value of gifts
etc
o Negative reciprocity-people are out to get the best for
themselves and cheat if possible. Giving fake money. Its
taking advantage
Kula ring- trobriand islands
Redistribution
• Established leadership for management
• Gathers resources to center and re-dstribute
• May increase or decrease inequality
Potlatch- NW Coast Indians
Cargo system- mayans
Leveling mechanism
• Evens out wealth- cargo and potlatch
• Reciprocity
• Means that no one can get rich
Market exchange
• Money
• Goods and services bought and sold
• Price determined by supply and demand
Document Summary
Subsistence provides new material for economy and division of labor. Division of labor: culturally assigned work tasks, become more diversified in more complex societies, no necessary relationship between tasks and those assigned, e. g. , hunters and gathers sexual division of labor, e. g. , household residential group that organizes economy. Economics- choices that participants in a culture make affect how that group makes use of available resources and distributes goods and services produced by resources. Resources- raw material for economy: natural resources, information, leisure time, prestige, time is money, money is time . Economic system: social norms regulating production, distribution, consumption, integrates with all other aspects of culture. Productive resources: land, labor, water, tools, knowledge. Distribution: reciprocity, general reciprocity-giving and expecting back, balanced reciprocity-when you keep track of the value of gifts etc, negative reciprocity-people are out to get the best for themselves and cheat if possible. Redistribution: established leadership for management, gathers resources to center and re-dstribute, may increase or decrease inequality.
