Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] built-in infinite growth (was: Re:Meaning ofmarkets, scarcity, abundance)
- From: Michael Bauwens <michelsub2003 yahoo.com>
- Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:24:02 -0800 (PST)
Hi Gregers,
thanks for your expert contributions ...
I have one question: I remember reading, probably 2 dozen years ago at least, that the potlach tradition was described as actually having as aim the destruciton of the surplus, so that no permanent class of privilege could be created.
In your message, you say that this belongs to the obscene 'phase', and is in fact a pathology?
How did it destroy "all production"?
Michel
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----- Original Message ----
From: Gregers Petersen <gp.ioa cbs.dk>
To: list-en oekonux.org
Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2008 2:56:11 PM
Subject: Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] Re: [ox-en] built-in infinite growth (was: Re:Meaning ofmarkets, scarcity, abundance)
Dmytri Kleiner wrote:
My understanding is that it was often competative, indicating
that
more
had to be given more than was received in the previous cycle, or else
status (and potentially power and even life) was lost. To be
unable
to
give more than you received was a disgrace that a chief could
ill
afford,
and of course the source of the wealth in the exchange was not
the
chief
exclusively, but rather appropriated surplus production.
The element of direct competition (e.g. burning of more blankets etc.)
did in reality not take form before after the potlatch itself
had
turned
'obscene' - and the element of "competition" is not necessarily tied
to
that more has to be given. It is quite complex, the reality of the
exchange-cycle, then what is the value-scale everything is being
weighted on? You'r very quickly weaving yourself into a line of
functional/materialistic thoughts, and to me it just seems that you
constantly assume that "money" is already there (as underlying value
system, and way of indentifying valuables).
Appropriated surplus production: Not really, resources where given to
the chief which in the obscene form ended with destroying all
production. So in this sense it becomes difficult to talk
about
'surplus
production'....
In the case when you'r using ethnographic/empirical examples - and
building your analysis on them - you should probably try look a little
closer at the complexities of life (and the reality that a lot of
thoughts have gone into this issue since Mauss wrote 'the gift').
Allusions to don't help. "consensus
among anthropologist
say this or that" is a form of the special pleading fallacy, not an
argument that can help us
understand the issue.
I was just stating that a very large body of individuals had spend
a
lot
of empirical research time and analytical work on the subject of
'kula'
- including a very long discussion of the kula vs. money aspect
(highly
influenced by marxist materialistic approaches in the 60's and 70's).
I
think it is needed to accept this fact, and not continue with a simple
assumption.
One of the most recent examples is Susanne Kuehling: Dobu. Ethics of
exchange on a Massim island, Papua New Guinea.
This is a wonderful book, and I personally really like the author.
When it comes to the aspect of 'pleading fallacy' - I'm an
anthropologist by trade, and you can either accept that
anthropologists
'know shit' when it comes to the intrigate details of such a subject
as
'kula' and take a much more detailed look at what this accumulated
knowledge intails - or you can pull the "pleading fallacy card"
as
you'r
doing.
Then what is the basis for your doubt?
The empirical examples you'r refering to are far to simplified,
and
this
pulls me away from the points your trying to bring across.
I'm probably also not really into these meta-explanations .....
--
Gregers Petersen
Anthropologist, Ph.d fellow
Department of Organization
Copenhagen Business School
Kilen, Kilevej 14A, 4.
DK - 2000 Frederiksberg
gp.ioa cbs.dk
(+45) 3815 2811
Skype: gregers.ioa
Jabber: glp jabber.dk
www.cbs.dk/staff/gp
www.icco.dk
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