TheMarketasaPrincipl eofExchange

The Market as a Principle of Exchange: 

The Market as a Principle of Exchange E. L. Shusky - Culture and Agriculture Eric Wolf – Europe and the People Without History

Adam Smith: 

Adam Smith Adam Smith published the Wealth of Nations in 1776 Foundation for understanding of capitalism Defines Market, laws of Supply and Demand Thought that each person was pursuing their own best interest This meant maximizing profits

Economics in Simple Societies: 

Economics in Simple Societies Adam Smith’s view does not apply to simpler societies Huge cultural differences Before large impersonal societies, individuals did not seek to maximize ownership of material goods Did not seek to profit from distribution of goods Kin and close friends had rights and obligations that precluded trading to advantage Mississippi Valley Indians

The Market : 

The Market Market exists solely for profit Kinship, friendship, loyalty, personal relations not valued only goods and services Market is recent not “natural” not “simple” could arise only after the appearance of impersonalized societies.

Price: 

Price Price: determined at the intersection of supply and demand. This “equilibrium” can fluctuate Need variety of sellers willing to compete with each other Also need a variety of buyers willing to compete with each other Produces hostility Not suitable for tribal or community solidarity

Free Market: 

Free Market Free Market economy arose in Europe in 1450-1650 Occurred when trade expanded without corresponding spread of a political entity. No central authority like Roman or Chinese empires

Why NW Europe Became Dominant: 

Why NW Europe Became Dominant Agricultural diversification, wool and dairy Serf system died, moved to a rent-based tenant system Cottage industries: textiles Large cities: skilled labor, factories arose Freedoms, individualism, Protestant revolution, free thinking Manufacturing and shipbuilding: goods sold abroad Industrial revolution started here

Wallerstein’s Core: 

Wallerstein’s Core Wallerstein’s “Core” refers to N.W. Europe Productivity required free/skilled labor. Serfdom at an end. Nobility lost power to those who produced Cheap goods meant expanded markets. Grains from Eastern Europe Gold, sugar, lumber, cotton from Latin America

Periphereral Areas: 

Periphereral Areas Wallerstein’s “Peripheral” areas = Eastern Europe, New World Workers wages were low Based on Serfdom or Slavery Production went for export Low production = famine Low specialization Low motivation of workers: No freedoms, opportunities, ownership. Example: Russia until 1990s Until 1861 the Tsar owned 1/3 of Russian people as serfs

Core Controlled Markets: 

Core Controlled Markets Core evolved power because of its control of markets and finance Markets and finance were not competitive, but were monopolies

Political Hierarchies: 

Political Hierarchies By the 18th century trade increased search for markets motivated solely by profit Increased power of political hierarchies European nations raced to control raw materials to feed national factories with guaranteed markets Resulted in colonialism

Industrial Revolution: 

Industrial Revolution The Industrial revolution led to more wealth in Europe, sense of superiority. Periphery became poorer New wealth of Europe can be seen as derived from the labor and raw materials of Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Capitalism: 

Capitalism

Wealth: 

Wealth Tributary – surplus production taken by elite as wealth Mercantile – trade of surplus production to make a profit Markets created by web of trade Means of production stays same Capital – profits invested in technology to improve means of production Larger surplus, larger profits Means of production owned by capitalist Labor sold to capitalist in exchange for wages

Labor: 

Labor Labor is an attribute of human beings Used to produce goods and services to sustain life For humans to produce, must have Tools Resources Land

Capitalism: 

Capitalism In Capitalism, tie between labor and means of production is severed Holders of wealth acquire means of production People must sell their labor to operate means of production Produces a division of classes Owners Workers Karl Marx

Capitalism: 

Capitalism Means of production controlled Distribution controlled Labor must now buy goods produced People without means of production must become labor to live But full employment not necessary for successful capitalism Unemployed, 1930

Capitalism is Autocatalytic: 

Capitalism is Autocatalytic Goal: to maximize surplus Keep wages low Raise output of workers Increase Technology Huge pressures to Out-produce competition Undersell competition Must constantly be reinvesting in technology Autocatalytic Therefore means of production transformed : progress

The Consequences of a Worldwide Market: 

The Consequences of a Worldwide Market

Western Wealth: 

Western Wealth Is Western wealth the result of ingenuity or due to exploitation of the periphery?

Modernization Theory: 

Modernization Theory Modernization theory: poor nations copy what rich nations have done Modernization requires Industrial base (first light, then heavy) Capital (from world bank, USAID) Skilled work force Hope placed on technology, but may displace people

Difficulties with Modernization: 

Difficulties with Modernization Difficulties with Modernization: Population growth Capital accumulation from where? Ability to control markets absent Market control is more important than any product innovations. Actively pursued by U.S. and multinational corporations

Multinational Corporations: 

Multinational Corporations Cross national lines Integrate: Producing Processing Transporting Storing Merchandising Thus control prices Profits are not used to lower prices used to fund mergers Cheap labor found in poor countries

Why do Poor get Poorer?: 

Why do Poor get Poorer? Underdeveloped countries getting poorer Multinational corporations control profits. Profits from production go to core countries Profits are not used for investment in production

Multinational Corporate Wealth: 

Multinational Corporate Wealth

World Wealth Map: 

World Wealth Map

Dependency Theory: 

Dependency Theory Peasants tied economically to capital city which is tied to core countries Regions within poor nations do not trade, compete or cooperate with each other – only with the capitol city where goods leave for other countries Goods coming in to poor countries come from the West via the capitol city.

Dependency Theory: 

Dependency Theory Elite within the capitol city controls economics and politics of a country. Elite always conservative to retain power. But elite do not control overseas markets These are controlled by core capital Underdeveloped nations can never generate sufficient economic growth to compete equally with the developed world that controls their markets.

Technology driven by Capital: 

Technology driven by Capital Market lead to concentration of resources in Western Europe Needed more forms of capital investment Investment in steam powered industrial revolution

Surplus and Shortages: 

Surplus and Shortages Mechanization now dominates farming in West farmers use huge amounts of fossil fuels, Machinery almost eliminates labor as a factor in western farming Now have surplus in developed countries Food shortages in undeveloped countries

Hunger: Moral Issue: 

Hunger: Moral Issue Instead of asking what can poor and undernourished countries do to increase their own food supply Should ask what can we, the over nourished exploiters do to share the abundance of available food Wealth Hunger