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1. THE EXCHANGE
THEORY
The Importance Of
The Idea Of Exchange
in Anthropological
Theory

2. The Exchange Theory
 Branislaw Malinowski (1884-1942)
His famous book ‘Argonauts of the
Western Pacific’
Exchange system called Potlatch
• Marcel Mauss
His famous book ‘The Gift’
Exchange system called Kula

3. Malinowski and His Theory of
Exchange ‘Kula’

4. The Articles of Kula
 Soulava Mwali

5. The Functions of Kula
 To create ‘social alliance’
 The ability to remain fit and healthy for
men
 Creates good social relations between
families and friends
 Increase personal confidence through
ceremonies. For ex: banishing bad luck

7. KULA
 Acc.to Malinowski, culture existed to
serve human needs. The needs of an
individual conducts cultural behaviours in
societies.
 The main function of Kula was to create
‘social alliance’.
 It was creating social motivations for
societies.
 It was rooted in myth, backed by
traditional law and surrounded with
magical rites.
 Economic Institution
 Communication System

8. Mauss and His Theory of
Exchange
 Potlatch; a gift exchange ceremony
as kula which is in practice in
Pacific Northwest Coast of America.
The articles in exchange: Tonga
 Potlatch was bringing the
honour,prestige or ‘mana’.

12. KULA & POTLATCH
Way of Communication
 Bring Social Cohesion
 Organize the Hierarchy in
Communities
 Clean The Spirits of People
 Represent the Power, Wealth and
Happiness

13. Western Commodity
Exchange Systems
Gift Exchange
Systems
 Value: Supply and
Demand
 Labour Force
Importance
 Profit Importance
 No origin
 No relationships
between
objects&people
 Permanent
ownership=Wealth
 Value: The
Movement History of
the Objects
 No Labour Force
 No Profit
 Origin Importance
 Deep relationship
between
objects&people
 No
ownership=Wealth
means to give more

14. Western
Commodity
Exchange
Systems
Gift Exchange
Systems
 Monetary
Economy,No
Trust,Contracts
 Market Economy
Obligations
 Individual Profit
Importance
 No
Contracts,Trust
Importance.
 Moral Obligations
 Social
Mobilization
Importance

16. DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POTLATCH
SYSTEM
 Economists find the system
wastefull.
 Wayne Suttles and Andrew Wayda-interpretation
of potlatch.
Customs like the potlatch are cultural adaptations
to alternating periods of local abundance and shortage.

17.  Potlatching linked villages together in
a regional economy which means an
exchange system that distributed food
and wealth from wealthy to needy
communities.
If there had been subsistence surpluses
and thus a build up of wealth over several
good years, a village could afford a
potlatch to convert its food and wealth
into prestige.

18. QUESTIONS
1.What is the role of gift exchange
systems on communication?
2.Can you give some examples of gift
exchange systems from modern
socities?