The Gift by Marcel Mauss Quiz
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Questions and Answers

According to Claude Levi-Strauss, how can Marcel Mauss's work be compared?

No acknowledgment of him can be proportionate to our debt.

What does Marshall Sahlins describe Marcel Mauss's Essay on the Gift as?

His own gift to the ages.

According to Jacques Derrida, Marcel Mauss's The Gift primarily focuses on the concept of gift-giving.

False

What is the North American Indian term for a system of gift exchange with an obligation to reciprocate?

<p>Potlatch</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mary Douglas, generosity and charity are synonymous.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of gift does Mary Douglas believe is unsustainable in the long run?

<p>The free gift.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Malinowski suggest is the actual purpose of the ‘small gift’ that a Trobriand husband regularly gives to his wife?

<p>To repay her for sexual services</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mauss, what is the dominant principle underlying the exchange of gifts across various cultures?

<p>The obligation to reciprocate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the Essay on the Gift, Mauss concludes that the need for reciprocity originates from a conscious desire to maintain social harmony and avoid conflict.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Mary Douglas believe prompted the shift from the study of comparative religion to the study of politics and economics in The Gift?

<p>The need to seek objectivity and to establish a responsible sociological discourse.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Durkheim argued that the theory of the gift provides a historical basis for understanding human solidarity.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mary Douglas, utilitarianism prioritizes the needs of the individual over the obligation to society.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Essay on the Gift was a direct attack against utilitarian political theory.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental principle that governs the potlatch, according to Mary Douglas?

<p>It is a total system of giving.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key aspect of the potlatch that distinguishes it from other gift exchange systems?

<p>Extreme rivalry.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mary Douglas, the potlatch represents the antithesis of the 'free gift'?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The system of gift exchange found in Polynesian societies is more complex than that found in Melanesia.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the Trobriand Islands’ version of the potlatch system?

<p>The kula.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Malinowski, what is the ultimate goal of the kula system?

<p>The exchange of objects for prestige and social status.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Trobriand Islands’ kula system is characterized by strict economic calculations and profit-making.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name for the smaller, more mundane form of exchange common in Trobriand Islands’ societies?

<p>Gimwali.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Trobriand Islands’ kula system is solely the domain of individuals.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Malinowski, the Trobriand Islands’ system of gift exchange is characterized as entirely disinterested.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name for the most prestigious and competitive form of kula exchange in the Trobriand Islands?

<p>Uvalaku.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the Trobriand Islands’ kula system, participants are expected to offer gifts with the expectation of receiving something in return of equal value.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the ‘clinching gift’ in the Trobriand kula system?

<p>To solidify the agreement between the two participants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name for the primary unit of value in The Trobriand Islands’ kula system?

<p>Vaygu'a.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Malinowski, the direction of the mwali (bracelets) and soulava (necklaces) in the kula exchange is the same.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Trobriand Islands' kula system exhibits a high degree of social stratification, with only chiefs being involved in the exchange of gifts.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Trobriand Islands' kula system relies solely on the exchange of physical goods, with no social or ceremonial aspects.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Malinowski describe as the ‘constant' exchange occurring in Trobriand Islands' societies?

<p>Give and take.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Trobriand Islands' kula system can be considered a purely economic system.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mary Douglas, Mauss's The Gift challenges the concept of the ‘invisible hand’ as an adequate explanation for economic systems.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mary Douglas believes that the concept of the ‘gift economy’ applies to all human societies, regardless of stage of development or cultural background.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Mary Douglas believe is the primary goal of Mauss's The Gift?

<p>To demonstrate the interconnected nature of social, political, and economic systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Mary Douglas believe is the central point of The Gift? What is the significance of this work?

<p>The gift is a grand exercise in positivist research, combining ethnology, history, and sociology.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Mary Douglas, the potlatch can be considered a unique and extreme example of a larger system of 'total services'?

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the text, Mary Douglas describes the system of 'total services' as including only elements directly related to economic exchange and the principles of law.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mary Douglas argues that the potlatch system is a more streamlined and efficient version of gift exchange than the archaic forms of exchange found in Melanesia and Polynesia.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The potlatch system, as described in the text, has limited application beyond the Native American Northwest, as it does not appear in other parts of the world.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of the ‘gift economy’ is based on the idea that gift giving is solely a free and disinterested act.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ‘gift economy’ is a primitive form of social exchange that ceased to exist with the development of more advanced economies and legal systems.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Roman society was the first to develop the concept of a formal contract as we understand it today.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The nexum, in ancient Roman law, represents a system of formalized exchange that predates the development of the modern concept of a contract.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

In ancient Roman law, individuals were viewed as separate entities, distinct from their possessions.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The development of the concept of 'credit' in Roman law stemmed from the shift from barter to sale, as proposed by modern economic theory.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key factor that distinguishes ancient Roman law from modern legal systems regarding the exchange of goods?

<p>The notion of honor and prestige.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In ancient Roman law, the concept of the 'gift' was considered a form of 'property', but separate from the concept of the 'person', as in the modern legal system.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mauss argues that the potlatch, as practiced by indigenous societies of the American Northwest, represents a distinct category of gift exchange that is neither purely economic nor solely ceremonial.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The potlatch, as described in the text, is a primarily economic system, driven by the pursuit of wealth and material possessions.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The potlatch system involves a strict hierarchy among participating tribes, with chiefs holding greater power and prestige than other members of the community.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that the concept of 'honour' is a relatively minor aspect of the potlatch, compared to the importance of economic exchange or religious ritual.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The practice of 'destruction', or the destruction of valuable goods, is a unique feature of the potlatch that sets it apart from other systems of gift exchange.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The potlatch is primarily a system of acquiring wealth.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text argues that the concept of the 'free gift' is fundamentally flawed, as it fails to recognize the complex social and psychological dynamics that underpin the act of giving.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text concludes that the potlatch is a primarily economic system, driven by the desire to accumulate wealth and profit.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The potlatch is a system of reciprocal giving, but the expectation of receiving something in return of equal value is not necessarily a primary concern.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that the practice of 'destruction' within the potlatch is a purely symbolic act, with no real-world consequences.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mauss's The Gift is a groundbreaking work that challenges traditional approaches to the study of social systems and economic exchange.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text argues that the potlatch is a purely economic system, driven by the desire to accumulate wealth and profit.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that gift giving is a primarily economic system, driven by the desire to accumulate wealth and profit.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of the ‘free gift’ is fundamentally flawed, as it fails to recognize the complex social and psychological dynamics that underpin the act of giving.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that the ‘free gift’ is fundamentally flawed, as it fails to recognize the complex social and psychological dynamics that underpin the act of giving.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that the ‘gift economy’ is a primitive form of social exchange that ceased to exist with the development of more advanced economies and legal systems.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Book Title and Author

  • Title: The Gift
  • Author: Marcel Mauss

Overview

  • Mauss's work on the gift is significant for its exploration of exchange in archaic societies
  • The book examines the form and reasons for exchange
  • It's a monumental work that analyzes everything but the gift itself

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The Gift by Marcel Mauss - PDF

Description

Test your understanding of Marcel Mauss's influential work, 'The Gift'. This quiz covers the key concepts of exchange in archaic societies, the reasons behind gift-giving, and the significance of gifts in social relations. Dive into the foundational ideas that shaped anthropological studies of exchange.

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