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2700:2022:6 [2022/03/26 15:27] – [“The fetishism of commodities and the secret thereof”] Ryan Schram (admin)2700:2022:6 [2022/03/28 17:56] (current) – [What was globalization?] Ryan Schram (admin)
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 By the end of the 20th century, anthropology had fully embraced the idea that there was a global context for their work in any one single local setting. By the end of the 20th century, anthropology had fully embraced the idea that there was a global context for their work in any one single local setting.
 +
 +Now it is common to hear that globalization may slowing down, or going in reverse, e.g.: 
 +
 +* Wong, Edward, and Ana Swanson. 2022. “Ukraine War and Pandemic Force Nations to Retreat From Globalization.” The New York Times, March 22, 2022, sec. U.S. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/us/politics/russia-china-global-economy.html.
  
 Globalization is ongoing, but hasn’t worked out the way anyone expected. What can we learn now from the anthropology of globalization in retrospect? Globalization is ongoing, but hasn’t worked out the way anyone expected. What can we learn now from the anthropology of globalization in retrospect?
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 Capitalism is a system in which some people use other people as tools to exploit resources. Capitalism is a system in which some people use other people as tools to exploit resources.
  
-Capitalism is a system in which all valuable things can be owned as private property. - Hence, productive resources (capital) are privately owned, and people without capital need to sell their labor to others who own capital needed to produce useful things.+Capitalism is a system in which all valuable things can be owned as private property.  
 + 
 + * Hence, productive resources (capital) are privately owned, and people without capital need to sell their labor to others who own capital needed to produce useful things.
  
 ===== “The fetishism of commodities and the secret thereof” ===== ===== “The fetishism of commodities and the secret thereof” =====
  
-> A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and+> A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and 
 > easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality,  > easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, 
 > a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and  > a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and 
-> theological niceties. +> theological niceties. […] 
- +>  
-        +> 
-  +
 > It is as clear as noon-day, that man, by his industry, changes the  > It is as clear as noon-day, that man, by his industry, changes the 
 > form of the materials furnished by Nature, in such a way as to make  > form of the materials furnished by Nature, in such a way as to make 
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 > making a table out of it. […] [S]o soon as it steps forth as a  > making a table out of it. […] [S]o soon as it steps forth as a 
 > commodity, it is changed into something transcendant. > commodity, it is changed into something transcendant.
- +> 
-   +>
-  +
 > A commodity is therefore a mysterious thing, simply because in it  > A commodity is therefore a mysterious thing, simply because in it 
 > the social character of men’s labor appears to them as an objective  > the social character of men’s labor appears to them as an objective 
-> character stamped upon the product of that labour […].” (Marx [1867] +> character stamped upon the product of that labour […]. (Marx [1867] 
 > 1972, 319–20) > 1972, 319–20)
  
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 A global capitalist system is, by definition, also a system that comprises many different cultures, settings, and ways of life. A global capitalist system is, by definition, also a system that comprises many different cultures, settings, and ways of life.
  
-Yet the contact among cultures in a global system takes place in a very specific and highly unequal set of institutions: - Goods move freely, people (mostly) don’t.+Yet the contact among cultures in a global system takes place in a very specific and highly unequal set of institutions:  
 + 
 +- Goods move freely, people (mostly) don’t.
  
 Nostalgia for “traditional culture” is the commodity fetishism of difference. Nostalgia for “traditional culture” is the commodity fetishism of difference.
2700/2022/6.1648333670.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022/03/26 15:27 by Ryan Schram (admin)