reciprocity anthropology assignment? market exchange?

[ashokakirti l]

Market, exchange and reciprocity are the key words for you, and you must know the basic conceptions of these terms. In anthropology, Market differs from Market-place. Market exchange is ‘take goods and give money’ which is determined by forces of supply and demand, it also means commodity exchange, you may like to remember stock exchange. Substantives school gives three types of economy: Reciprocity, Redistribution, and Market Exchange. Market may exist in those societies where reciprocity and redistribution are predominant. You can remember the works of Durkheim and Mauss to understand reciprocity as gift exchange. If I present you a beautiful gift on your birthday, you would like to do same in my birthday. That is called reciprocity exchange. But when I lend you a bit of salt when you were cooking, you will return a bit of salt while I am lacking, that is commodity exchange. When I help you to plant paddy in your farm, you will do same in my turn that is called labor exchange, I give you my sister to you, you may like to return your sister as my bride, this is bride exchange (remember Levi-Strauss). Reciprocity is always reciprocal.

Redistribution in its simplest form is pooling of the goods by producers for common use of the group and its members. If I have produced a garden of mangoes, I would like to redistribute among my kins.

Please read the handbook on economic anthropology by Stuart Plattner and ‘Market and Society’ by Chris Hann and Keith Hart.
Best of Luck!