Anthropology 330 Economic Systems

What is an Economic System? DEFINITION: An economic system is the abstract, learned, shared rules/templates/patterns for: DEFINITION: An economic system is the abstract, learned, shared rules/templates/patterns for: Managing resources Managing resources Organizing labor Organizing labor Producing goods and services Producing goods and services Distributing goods and services Distributing goods and services

Economic Anthropology Economics focuses on production, distribution, and consumption within the industrialized world. Economics focuses on production, distribution, and consumption within the industrialized world. Economic anthropology studies production, distribution, and consumption comparatively in all societies of the world, industrialized and non-industrialized. Economic anthropology studies production, distribution, and consumption comparatively in all societies of the world, industrialized and non-industrialized.

What Resources? 1. Identifying what resources are present. What resources are present? What resources are present? Which resources that are present are recognized as resources? Which resources that are present are recognized as resources?

Geographical Location of Resources 2. Identifying where resources are located. Single ecological zones Single ecological zones Multiple ecological zones Multiple ecological zones

Temporal Availability of Resources 3. Societies must determine when resources are available Tropical zones and year round availability Tropical zones and year round availability Temperate zones and seasonable availability Temperate zones and seasonable availability

Control Over Resources 4. Societies must determine who controls resources Personal ownership Personal ownership Use rights Use rights Conditions of ownership Conditions of ownership Kin group control over resources Kin group control over resources Supernatural resource control Supernatural resource control No ownership No ownership

Pastoralists and Resources Because this group of East African pastoralists treats land as belonging to everyone in the society, you are not likely to find any “No Trespassing” signs here. Because this group of East African pastoralists treats land as belonging to everyone in the society, you are not likely to find any “No Trespassing” signs here.

Kikuyu and Resources Lineage ownership of land Lineage ownership of land Sub-clan use rights Sub-clan use rights Multiple plot cultivation Multiple plot cultivation British colonial intervention British colonial intervention Homesteads vs “villagization” Homesteads vs “villagization”

Religion and Food Production In Hindu India the cow is sacred and never killed for food. In Hindu India the cow is sacred and never killed for food.

Mbuti Pygmies Believe That the Forest They Live in Is a Supernatural Being

What Are the Ways in Which Societies Organize Labor(I)? There are five general ways in which societies organize labor By age and gender (universal in all cultures). By age and gender (universal in all cultures). By part-time economic specialization By part-time economic specialization By full-time economic specialization By full-time economic specialization By industrialization By industrialization By castes By castes

Age and Gender Role Specialization Organizing labor by age and gender Children do not do the same jobs as adults; the elderly do not do the same jobs as middle- aged adults. Children do not do the same jobs as adults; the elderly do not do the same jobs as middle- aged adults. Men and women do not do the same jobs and do not have the same responsibilities. Men and women do not do the same jobs and do not have the same responsibilities. Age and gender division of labor is universal. Age and gender division of labor is universal.

Gender Specialization Women usuallyMen usually Women usuallyMen usually tend crops, hunt and fish, gather wild foods, build houses, care for children, clear land for farming prepare food, herd large animals clean house, trap small animals, and fetch water, and serve as political and collect cooking fuel. religious leaders.

Modernization and Child Labor When do children start working? When do children start working? Traditional SocietiesTraditional Societies Developing societiesDeveloping societies Developed societiesDeveloped societies Chores vs Labor? Chores vs Labor? Traditional societiesTraditional societies Developing societiesDeveloping societies Developed societiesDeveloped societies

Child Work through Chores

Some Chore Comparisons From the Six Cultures Study done in the 1960’s in traditional societies

Child Labor These Pakistani children are working full time in an embroidery shop for pennies a day rather than going to school. These Pakistani children are working full time in an embroidery shop for pennies a day rather than going to school. According to the International Labor Organization, there were 246 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 in the workforce worldwide in According to the International Labor Organization, there were 246 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 in the workforce worldwide in 2002.

Take a Look at Child Labor

Durkheim and Division of Labor Two types of societies Mechanical solidarity - societies with a minimum of labor specialization where family units are relatively subsistence independent. Mechanical solidarity - societies with a minimum of labor specialization where family units are relatively subsistence independent. Organic solidarity - highly specialized societies, solidarity is based on mutual interdependence. Organic solidarity - highly specialized societies, solidarity is based on mutual interdependence.

Economic Specialization Three Types of Open-System Specialization Part-time economic specialization. Family produces own subsistence and also produces some goods for trade Full-time economic specialization. Family produces 1 type of good or service and trades for subsistence Industrialization Family contributes only 1 small part of goods or service production and trades for subsistence

Economic Specialization The closed-system specialization Castes Castes Full-time economic specialization into which a person is born and which a person cannot change. (Eg. Indian traditional society) Full-time economic specialization into which a person is born and which a person cannot change. (Eg. Indian traditional society) Top = Brahmin caste Bottom = Untouchable caste

What Are the Ways in Which Societies Approach Production (I)? There are two general ways of analyzing production techniques cross-culturally. Technology Technology Work Patterns Work Patterns

What Are the Ways in Which Production Is Approached (II)? Technology DEFINITION: The tools and skills needed to produce goods and services. Studying the technology of a society requires identifying the tools, whether they be axes, plows, tractors, factories or computers, that are used to produce goods and services. The tools are no good without the skills to use them, so it is necessary to identify those skills as well. Studying the technology of a society requires identifying the tools, whether they be axes, plows, tractors, factories or computers, that are used to produce goods and services. The tools are no good without the skills to use them, so it is necessary to identify those skills as well.

Work Patterns DEFINITION: The ways in which work is organized around cultural values and world view. DEFINITION: The ways in which work is organized around cultural values and world view. Two examples of contrasting work patterns are time oriented Vs task oriented work patterns and time oriented Vs task oriented work patterns and social Vs individual work patterns. social Vs individual work patterns.

What Are the Ways in Which Production Is Approached (IV)? In societies like ours, worked is measured by how long a person works and is centered on hours and minutes. Work begins at a given time and ends at a given time, regardless of whether the task is finished or not. In societies like ours, worked is measured by how long a person works and is centered on hours and minutes. Work begins at a given time and ends at a given time, regardless of whether the task is finished or not. Time Oriented Vs Task Oriented In many societies, time is not a factor in how work is done. In these societies, people attack a task and work until that task is finished. At that time they are free to do something else.

What Are the Ways in Which Production Is Approached (V)? Individual Work Vs Individual Work Vs In societies like ours, worked is usually considered an individual task. Work is done individually and is assessed as the responsibility of the individual. People are frequently scolded and penalized for socializing on the job. In societies like ours, worked is usually considered an individual task. Work is done individually and is assessed as the responsibility of the individual. People are frequently scolded and penalized for socializing on the job. Social Work In many societies, work is a social activity that provides an opportunity to be together and socialize while accomplishing a task. People look forward to work differently because of the social contact that is expected.

What Are the Ways in Which Distribution Is Approached ? There are three general ways in which societies distribute goods and services cross- culturally. Reciprocity Reciprocity Redistribution Redistribution Market System Market System

Reciprocity DEFINITION: Exchange in egalitarian societies that is not based a general purpose money. There are two kinds of reciprocity: Generalized reciprocity Generalized reciprocity Balanced reciprocity Balanced reciprocity When people cheat in a reciprocal relationship, it is called Negative reciprocity Negative reciprocity

Generalized Reciprocity Generalized Reciprocity DEFINITION: Sharing what you have without immediate repayment, but with the underlying assumption that others will share what they have with you. Eg. Barn-raising in farm communities

Balanced Reciprocity DEFINITION: The trading at a single point in time of goods or services of relatively equal value. This is sometimes also known as barter. Eg. Barter as when a doctor is paid in chickens for medical care

Kula Ring A form of reciprocal trading found among the Trobriand Islanders involving the use of white shell necklaces and red shell bracelets. A form of reciprocal trading found among the Trobriand Islanders involving the use of white shell necklaces and red shell bracelets.

Bridewealth The transfer of goods from the groom’s lineage to the bride’s lineage to legitimize marriage. The transfer of goods from the groom’s lineage to the bride’s lineage to legitimize marriage. Father examining bride wealth/price being presented by the groom’s family for his daughter’s wedding Father examining bride wealth/price being presented by the groom’s family for his daughter’s wedding

Negative Reciprocity DEFINITION: Cheating in in either generalized or balanced reciprocity, so that the cheater gains more than he/she gives back.

Redistribution Redistribution DEFINITION: The collection of surplus by the high status leader of a group, who then arranges for a feast or other regional celebration in which the surplus is used and given away. Redistribution usually happens in ranked societies, where there are at least two social classes, the chief’s and everyone else’s. Eg. Samoan redistribution, Income taxes Eg. Samoan redistribution, Income taxes

Big Men/big Women Self-made leaders, found widely in Melanesia and New Guinea, who convince their followers to contribute excess food to provide feasts for the followers of other big men or big women. Self-made leaders, found widely in Melanesia and New Guinea, who convince their followers to contribute excess food to provide feasts for the followers of other big men or big women.

Potlatch A form of competitive giveaway found among Native Americans from the Northwest Coast that serves as a mechanism for both achieving social status and distributing goods. A form of competitive giveaway found among Native Americans from the Northwest Coast that serves as a mechanism for both achieving social status and distributing goods.

Market System DEFINITION: A distribution system that depends on a general purpose money, economic specialization and the production of large surpluses of all kinds of food through some form of agriculture.

Monetary System General purpose money or currency General purpose money or currency Used to quantify exchanges Used to quantify exchanges Translates one kind of good or service into others Translates one kind of good or service into others

Study Guide Economic SystemRedistribution Managing resourcesPotlatch Organizing laborBig Men and Women ProductionMarket system TechnologyMoney/currency Work patternsOwnership DistributionAge/gender role tasks Generalized reciprocityPart-time specialization Balanced reciprocityFull-time specialization Kula RingIndustrialization Bridewealth/DowryCastes Negative reciprocity