Chapter 3

Question 1

What does economics study?

Answer 1

Choices that maximize value.

Question 2

What are the key components of economy?

Answer 2

Production, distribution and consumption.

Question 3

What is economic anthropology?

Answer 3

A subfield of cultural anthropology that studies economic systems cross-culturally. Examines the relationship between human nature and making a living.

Question 4

What are the economic systems?

Answer 4

Production, consumption and exchange.

Question 5

What is a debate in economic anthropology? Who is the guy behind it?

Answer 5

Formalist vs. Substantialist. Karl Polanyi.

Question 6

What are the three models for human nature?

Answer 6

Self interested model (individual satisfaction) institutional model (groups to gain material resources and power) and moral model (values guide economic activity).

Question 7

What are the modes of production?

Answer 7

Foraging, Horticulture, pastoralism, agriculture and industrialism (information/digital).

Question 8

What are the progressive and revisionist takes on agriculture?

Answer 8

Progressive: Agriculture was a great advancement, element of cultural evolution
Revisionist: Agriculture may have been the worst mistake in human history

Question 9

What is consumption?

Answer 9

The dominant way in a culture of using up goods and services.

Question 10

What are the two meanings of consumption?

Answer 10

A person’s intake in terms of eating or using things up and out put in terms of spending or using resources to obtain other things.

Question 11

What are the two major modes of consumption?

Answer 11

Minimalism: characterized by few and finite consumer demands and adequate and sustainable means to achieve them. (ex. foraging)
Consumerism: people’s demands are many and infinite, means of satisfying them are never sufficient. (Industrial/Capitalist societies)

Question 12

What are the consequences of consumption?

Answer 12

Ecological health, biodiversity, cultural diversity and social inequality.

Question 13

What is a leveling mechanism? How is it maintained?

Answer 13

An important process in smaller scale societies that works to keep people equal through unwritten and culturally embedded rules that prevent an individual from becoming wealthier or more powerful than anyone else. It is maintained through social pressure and gossip.

Question 14

What is forbidden consumption and who talked about it?

Answer 14

Food taboos, they can create group solidarity. Mary Douglas

Question 15

What is entitlement in agriculture? What are the two types?

Answer 15

Socially defined rights to provide for and use necessary resources. Indirect and direct.

Question 16

What is mode of exchange?

Answer 16

The way that people in a particular culture exchange goods and services among groups and individuals.

Question 17

What can be exchanged?

Answer 17

Material goods, symbolic goods, labour, money, rights to people.

Question 18

What is a pure gift?

Answer 18

A gift with no expectation for reciprocity.

Question 19

What is balanced exchange? In what type of society is it the major form of exchange?

Answer 19

Balanced exchange is transfer of goods/services with an expectation of equivalent reciprocity. Foraging.

Question 20

What is unbalanced exchange?

Answer 20

Exchange where someone is making a profit, like market exchange.

Question 21

What is redistribution? Provide an example.

Answer 21

Redistribution is when someone or an institutions collects something from someone with the motive of later returning it to the society. (Example: taxes and potlaching)

Question 22

What is an example of consumption microculture?

Answer 22

Kuru women in Papua New Guinea eating human flesh.