An Anthropology of Money A Critical Introduction Routledge Series for Creative Teaching and Learning in Anthr

by Richard Robbins Tim Di Muzio

An Anthropology of Money A Critical Introduction shows how our present monetary system was imposed by elites and how they benefit from it The book poses the question how by looking at different forms of money can we appreciate that they have different effects The authors demonstrate how modern money requires perpetual growth an increase in inequality environmental devastation increasing commoditization and consequently the perpetual consumption of ever more stuff These are not intrinsic features of money but rather of debt money This text shows that through studying money in other cultures we can have money that better serves the broader goals of society Money A Critical Introduction shows how our present monetary system was imposed by elites and how they benefit from it The book poses the question how by looking at different forms of money can we appreciate that they have different effects The authors demonstrate how modern money requires perpetual growth an increase in inequality environmental devastation increasing commoditization and consequently the perpetual consumption of evermore stuff But these are not intrinsic features of money but rather of debt money This text shows that through studying money in other cultures we can have money that better serves the broader goals of society

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Anthropology

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Alexios Xifaras · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and eye opening book. Having read dozens of important contributions to the theory and origin of money (e.g. Graeber's Debt the first 5000 years, Ingham's Nature of Money, Galbraith's Money: Whence IT Came, Where IT Went, Quiggin's A Survey of Primitive Money, Hudson's books on debt, Wray's Modern Money Theory: A Primer on Macroeconomics, etc), I initially thought that this book would be boring. However since I really like this topic and I enjoyed the same authors'other book called "Debt as power", I gave this book a chance. I did not regret it !

Although it is a short book, it is full of information. It's also very readable.

The authors through a relatively detailed description of the history and the different theories of money and a carefull explanation of our current monetary system, they masterfully show how the few rich (the 10%, 1%, call them however you like), exploits us all and make huge profits. The authors finally propose some solutions in order to reform our deeply exploitative and unfair monetary system.

In short: If you are interested in understanding the world we live in, then dont's miss this book !!