Modern money is not easily captured. Some accounts even claim that its defining feature is its quality as a universal leveller and yardstick (see Maurer, 2006:16). This quality, however, is exactly what we want to debate. Without being confined to a particular conceptualisation of ‘modern money’ as a means of payment, a store of value and a unit of account, I want to approach money as such in its various forms in traditional (nonmodern) contexts and our own ‘credit-money’-bank form. The question is what effect a money has: does it flatten, commensurate and homogenise? Is it true that “when monetary exchange is anonymous and anonymizing, the social identities of transacting parties are irrelevant to the value of the objects mediated by money … and so the things take on the powers of the fetish” (Maurer, 2006:23)? As the following discussion shows, you can indeed find examples for this flattening function of money. Not only does Marx explicitly focus on this negative, fetishised – i.e. concealed – quality of money as ‘confuser’, but Bohannan (1959) finds this effect of modern money on the Tiv economy in Nigeria. Kwon’s (2007) analysis of Vietnamese ghost money generally agrees with Bohannan – but introduces a more balanced view on money’s cultural meanings and potential problems of human agency and performativity as opposed to seeing it as an inherent quality. Simmel’s other side of money’s potential effect – increased freedom and a new form of relation – are brought into the debate with Cole’s (2005) account of transactional sex in Madagascar partly building on Hutchinson’s (1992) fieldwork among the Nuer. Money should not be seen through the eyes of Western folk tales (Maurer, 2006:19) but in its culturally specific context. Money is not one-sided but its effects depend on where it is used by whom in what kind of practice. Marx account is merely one part of this story – the one that now has become exactly that, a Western folk tale.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Marx on Money
- Bohannan on the Tiv Economy
- Kwon on Vietnamese Ghost Money
- Simmel, Cole and the Ambiguity of Money
- The Comaroffs on Cattle and Money
- Hutchinson on the Nuer Cattle-Economy
- Money as an Instrument of Freedom and a Threat to Moral Order
- Money as Discourse and Recontextualisation
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text examines the complex relationship between money and society. It challenges the notion that money has an inherent power to "invert" or "confuse" traditional social structures and values. The main objective is to explore the diverse effects of money across different cultures and historical contexts, focusing on the interplay between money and human agency. Key themes include: * **The "confuser" effect of money:** The text examines the idea that money homogenizes and simplifies social relations, potentially leading to a loss of traditional values and distinctions. * **The impact of money on various spheres of exchange:** The analysis investigates how the introduction of money affects traditional systems of exchange, such as bridewealth, ritual practices, and economic transactions. * **The role of human agency:** The text emphasizes that money's effects are not predetermined but rather shaped by cultural contexts and human actions. * **Money as a force for both change and stability:** The text recognizes that money can both disrupt established social structures and provide opportunities for social change, depending on its use and context. * **The ambiguity of money:** The text acknowledges the inherent duality of money, capable of both facilitating freedom and posing threats to moral order.Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for the discussion by presenting contrasting perspectives on the nature of money. It highlights the debate surrounding the power of money to "invert" society and culture.
- Marx on Money: This chapter examines Marx's analysis of money in his "Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts." It highlights Marx's view of money as a "confuser" that alienates individuals from their true human relationships.
- Bohannan on the Tiv Economy: This chapter discusses Bohannan's study of the Tiv economy in Nigeria, where the introduction of modern money disrupted traditional exchange systems, transforming a multi-centric economy into a unicentric one.
- Kwon on Vietnamese Ghost Money: This chapter explores Kwon's analysis of Vietnamese ghost money, demonstrating how the use of a new type of ritual currency can both "confuse" traditional hierarchies and potentially have a self-emancipatory effect.
- Simmel, Cole and the Ambiguity of Money: This chapter explores the ambiguity of money, acknowledging its potential for both freedom and social disruption. Cole's fieldwork in Madagascar demonstrates how money can empower women through transactional sex.
- The Comaroffs on Cattle and Money: This chapter examines the Comaroffs' study of the Tshidi cattle economy, highlighting the influence of money on traditional social relations and the role of human agency in navigating these changes.
- Hutchinson on the Nuer Cattle-Economy: This chapter analyzes Hutchinson's study of the Nuer cattle economy, showcasing the resistance to money's "levelling" effect and demonstrating how the Nuer maintained distinct spheres of exchange despite the introduction of money.
- Money as an Instrument of Freedom and a Threat to Moral Order: This chapter builds on the previous analyses to argue that money is inherently ambiguous. It discusses the potential for money to both enhance individual freedom and undermine traditional moral order.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focus topics in this text include: money, social relations, cultural context, human agency, traditional exchange systems, “confuser” effect, ambiguity, freedom, moral order, performativity, fetishism, ritual money, and alternative currencies. The text examines the diverse effects of money across different cultures and historical contexts, challenging the idea that money possesses an inherent power to disrupt or transform societies.- Citation du texte
- Johannes Lenhard (Auteur), 2013, The Fetishism to Credit Money with an Intrinsic Power to Change (‘Invert’) Society and Culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/230432
