1002:3.2
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| 1002:3.2 [2015/08/10 22:59] – [When a gift system meets a commodity system] Ryan Schram (admin) | 1002:3.2 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 | ||
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| - | ~~DECKJS~~ | ||
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| - | # Commodification and Fetishism # | ||
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| - | ## Commodification and fetishism ## | ||
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| - | Ryan Schram | ||
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| - | ryan.schram@sydney.edu.au | ||
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| - | Mills 169 (A26) | ||
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| - | Wednesday, August 12, 2015 | ||
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| - | Available at http:// | ||
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| - | ## Where we left off ## | ||
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| - | On Monday, we began to discuss commodity exchange. We turned to Marx | ||
| - | to know where it has come from. | ||
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| - | Let C represent a good, e.g. boots, cell phone, gum. | ||
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| - | Let M represent money. | ||
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| - | 1. **C - M - C'** *The simple exchange of goods.* | ||
| - | 2. **M - C - M'** *The making of profit through the exchange of commodities.* | ||
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| - | Marx wants to know why society moved from #1 to #2. | ||
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| - | ## Commodities ## | ||
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| - | The real value of a commodity comes from the labor that goes into it. | ||
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| - | Commodities are " | ||
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| - | ## The fetishism of commodities ## | ||
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| - | {{: | ||
| - | 1987}} | ||
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| - | "A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily | ||
| - | understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer | ||
| - | thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties." | ||
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| - | "[A table is just wood made useful by work.] But, so soon as it steps | ||
| - | forth as a commodity, it is changed into something transcendent." | ||
| - | (Marx 1867, vol 1, sect. 4) | ||
| - | |||
| - | ## Mauss and Marx? ## | ||
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| - | Mauss does not equal Marx. Mauss doesn' | ||
| - | does not talk about gifts. | ||
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| - | But... There seems to be a parallel between them. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ## Mauss and Marx ## | ||
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| - | Mauss is interested in demonstrating that solidarity to the group and | ||
| - | interdependence of group members is necessary to many kinds of | ||
| - | exchanges. | ||
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| - | Marx is interested in explaining why capitalist society is tearing | ||
| - | itself apart. | ||
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| - | Gifts: Exchange of un-alienated labor | ||
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| - | Commodities: | ||
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| - | ## DID I JUST BLOW YOUR MIND? ## | ||
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| - | Gifts and commodities are based opposed logics of what makes something | ||
| - | valuable. | ||
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| - | ## When a gift system meets a commodity system ## | ||
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| - | When a society organized on the basis of gifts encounters a globalizing capitalist market, many different outcomes are possible: | ||
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| - | * Tension and conflict | ||
| - | * Efflorescence | ||
| - | * Transformation | ||
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| - | Most of the situations we associate with globalization, | ||
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| - | ## Report from The Sepik River ## | ||
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| - | {{: | ||
| - | {{ : | ||
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| - | ## References ## | ||
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| - | Kruger, Barbara. 1987. Untitled ("I Shop Therefore I | ||
| - | Am"). Photographic silkscreen on vinyl. | ||
| - | http:// | ||
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| - | Marx, Karl. 1859. A Contribution to the Critique of Political | ||
| - | Economy. Moscow: Progress | ||
| - | Publishers. https:// | ||
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| - | Marx, Karl. 1887. Capital, Vol. 1. Moscow: Progress | ||
| - | Publishers. https:// | ||
1002/3.2.1439272751.txt.gz · Last modified: 2015/08/10 22:59 by Ryan Schram (admin)