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The Gift: The Form and Reason for Exchange in Archaic Societies (Routledge Classics) Paperback – International Edition, 11 Oct. 2001

by Marcel Mauss (Author), W.D. Halls (Translator)
4.8 out of 5 stars 40 ratings
on any 4 Qualifying items | Terms
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In this, his most famous work, Marcel Mauss presented to the world a book which revolutionized our understanding of some of the basic structures of society. By identifying the complex web of exchange and obligation involved in the act of giving, Mauss called into question many of our social conventions and economic systems. In a world rife with runaway consumption, The Gift continues to excite and challenge.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0415267498
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0415267496
  3. Edition
    2nd
  4. Publication date
    11 Oct. 2001
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    12.9 x 1.3 x 19.8 cm
  7. Print length
    224 pages
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Review

'The Gift is quite undeniably the masterwork of Marcel Mauss, his most justly famous writing, and the work whose influence has been the deepest.' -Claude Lévi-Strauss

From the Back Cover

'The teaching of Marcel Mauss was one to which few can be compared. No acknowledgment of him can be proportionate to our debt.' - Claude Livi-Strauss.

In this, his most famous work, Marcel Mauss presented to the world a book which revolutionized our understanding of some of the basic structures of society. A renowned anthropologist, Mauss sought in this work to transcend empirical observation and reach deeper realities. In so doing, he inaugurated a new era for the social sciences. No work of anthropology or political theory would be the same again. By identifying the complex web of exchange and obligation involved in the act of giving, Mauss called into question many of our social conventions and economic systems. In a world rife with runaway consumption, The Gift continues to excite and to challenge. As Livi-Strauss remarked, 'Few have managed to read it without feeling the whole gamut of the emotions . . . the pounding heart, the throbbing head, the mind flooded with the imperious, though not yet definable, certainty of being present at a decisive event in the evolution of science.'

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 11 Oct. 2001
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0415267498
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0415267496
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 227 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 1.3 x 19.8 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 121,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 40 ratings

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Marcel Mauss

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
40 global ratings

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Geoffrey M. Thompson
    5.0 out of 5 stars thought provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    great book, great service, thank you
    Helpful
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  • Toby Donegan-Cross
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 January 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Great read,
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  • Lark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gift relationships around the world
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2009
    Format: Paperback
    I think out of all the Routledge classics this book has the greatest and most appropriate cover, the book has a great contents and index, chapters are about the right length, pace and writing style are accessible to either academics or general readers.

    Mauss considers the gift and the gift relationship as a means of exchange, the focus is on more primitive societies but there's plenty which is applicable to modern societies as the introduction indicates.

    I found it really marvelous the extent to which different societies and cultures developed the same conventions, expectations and relationships with respect of gifts and giving, ie obligations to reciprocate, expectation that in return for a gift something of equal or greater value will be given, shame should these rules be violated. There is also consideration of norms and conventions against too great or naive a generosity on the part of individuals who give.

    There was a lot of food for thought here, I could recognise how the conventions examined by Mauss operate in my own life and experience but equally so how the obligations associated with gift relationships can and are readily ignored when they become public policy, for instance state benefits or charity which too often are considered "free money", "free gifts" or "a free lunch".

    It was also interesting to see an study which readily denied the availability of such a thing as a "free lunch" without necessarily affirming methodological individualism. As a result I think this book would interest any conservative democrat or social democrat. That's not to say it wouldnt interest a general reader, I received this as a gift and had no idea what to expect and it proved pretty readable.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Mark Orange
    4.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for anthropology students and those interested in exchange and economy in general
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 February 2009
    Format: Paperback
    Yeah, so I've now had this book appear on about 4 reading lists over the last two years, have extensively used it in two essays of my own, had it summarised by three different lecturers and have discussed it in numerous seminars. Throughout this time I have observed that my understanding of this work has changed much more than I thought would be possible for such a short work which contained what at first seemed like such an obvious central argument illustrated with ethnographic data of the day. However, the more I engage with Mauss' most famous work the more I realise that this is a text that really tells us about exchange than we might initially realise. Also it is interesting to see how this work can be combined with Marxist's ideas as opposed to being separate to them.

    Essential reading for anthropology students. Essential re-reading for anthropology students.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Fiona
    4.0 out of 5 stars Gift relationships
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 May 2005
    Format: Paperback
    The Gift describes the idea that no gifts are given freely and that something is always expected in return.
    Mauss looked at different tribes to examine the gift relationships there. Overall, I think anthropologists spend more time looking at tribes and little actually relating it back to our society - the one they are tryint to relate it to.
    It is an interesting text though with many truths and definately quite relateable to our society.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Koustav Chakraborty
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest book in this field
    Reviewed in India on 9 November 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The gift theory! Great contribution by Marcel Mauss!
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  • estudanteunitok
    4.0 out of 5 stars 面白いです
    Reviewed in Japan on 19 October 2004
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    初版後半世紀以上も経ているのにいまだに読む人に新鮮な印象を与える名著だと思います。人はなぜ贈り物をもらうと「お返しをしなきゃ」と思うのか？　その心理的なメカニズムを解明すべくさまざまな「未開の」（近代文明の影響をほとんど受けていないという意味で）社会における贈り物の応酬を分析し、現代にも通じる、ある意味人類に普遍的な精神の謎に迫っています。お中元、年賀状、地鎮祭といった今も脈々と受け継がれる日本の伝統行事に思いをめぐらせれば、これら「未開」社会と類似した精神構造を見出すコトのできるのは、非常に興味深いことです。また、現代における市場、契約、法律の発生という謎にも、ゲーム理論などとはまた違ったアプローチのしかたで、そのヒントを与えてくれます。　しかし、原文（仏語）からの翻訳の仕方がすこし的を得ていないというか、読むほうにとっては文章の構成、語句の使い方などがあまり整理されておらず、読みにくいという印象を受けました。moral、institution、serviceといった概念的な言葉の定義があいまいなまま、同音異義語的にさまざまな文脈で同じ語が使われていて、わかりにくいと思います。原文でも読んでみたく思います。
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