Mauss and Marx in the 21st Century

• In Event: Back from the Dead: Old Concepts for New Times

Abstract

The following paper examines the idea of gift giving within unequal political and economic relations within neoliberal society. Focus will be on culturally fortified ideological narratives that evoke structures of reciprocity and obligation in order to silence dissent. Conspicuous in this scenario is the type of narrative that recasts the exploitation of labor and the oppression of vulnerable populations and outsiders as a gift of security. In which case, cultural codes and normative language provide an integral justification of the status quo, offsetting a heightened legitimization crisis. The partial success of this strategy, it will be argued, explains recent trends in public opinion and voting.

Author

• Louis Kontos, John Jay College of Criminal Justice