Building the Human Economy

A question of value?

Authors

• Keith Hart Goldsmiths, University of London

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30676/jfas.177787

Keywords:

anthropology, commoditization, economics, human economy, Marx, value

Abstract

The author has always been sceptical about the use of value theory in anthropology. Here he considers its scope in relation to a project linked to the publication of The Human Economy: A Citizen’s Guide in 2010. This international project, which aims to develop an alternative to free market economics, is outlined briefly. The main source for the present lecture is Marx’s theory of the commodity as value-form. This leads to an examination of the concept of commoditization which is defined as a quasi-historical sequence, the progressive abstraction of social labour. The approaches of Marx and Mauss must be reconciled if we are to bring Marx’s value theory up-to-date. Four main points are identified as showing how the human economy project might benefit from the previous discussion of value. The lecture concludes with some remarks on the significance of value theory for anthropologists.