Customer Reviews

Stone Age Economics

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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This is a well-known and rather old (1972) classic work on the economics of exchange as a cultural phenomenon. I remember this book was quoted several times during my studies of economics (and that was in the early 80s). I always kept the idea that as an economist I actually should read it myself, and so now i finally did.

The book is written from an anthropological angle and claims that stone age economies were the original affluent society. The claim is startling as it is original, as it runs counterintuitive; weren't people in early primitive (as defined by level of societal complexity) communities not always on the border of starvation and their needs much unfulfilled? Here the author points out that in the central concept of economics, scarcity, or the tension between wants and means, can be reduced either from the supply side (which is what modern production and exchange economies do) or on the demand side, the Zen way to happiness so to speak, by not having much of any demand. Within their own context such hunter-gatherer societies were therefore quite well-off and not on the brink of disaster. To have high wealth in the form of goods was simply not practical in this way of life as you had to carry all of it around hence slowing you down. Similarly, there was often an under-use of resources rather than a constant bumping against existence limits. Of course, there were very real Malthusian limits also as a result of the societal organization. Nevertheless, the point on scarcity is well made and can be seen as a (mild) critique of consumer society. It also bring the social and cultural context in which economics plays to the fore. At the same time, the author discusses the role of gift exchange in return for other goods as a social phenomenon next to the purely economic terms of exchange. Gifts and trade rather than war has a very real meaning in societies and is especially tangible in less complex groups, somethinh he shows in true antropologist fashion by referring to some interesting studies of several small societies in Africa and Polynesia.

The same idea also of course holds for more developed nations, but here the direct social relationships among and between much larger groups is much more anonymous and diffused.

I am an economist, not an anthroplogist, and found it very interesting to read this well-written and sometimes humorous book in order to realise once again how economics is a social science in the true sense of the word. Nothing to be ashamed about, and it is always good as a refresher to read from different angles on the fundamentals of your own profession.

recommended.

This superb work discusses the types of economic organization which currently exist and which have existed throughout human history (and into pre-history). It then shows the effect of such economic organizations on social structure.

This book should be required reading for all students of economics, as it has major implications for our own societies today.

Stone Age Economics is also a very interesting and readable text, not at all dry or boring. It is filled with information about various cultures and interesting details such as the fact that the hunter-gatherer Bushmen in the Kalihari desert spend only about 1 1/2 hours per day on staying alive, and spend the rest of the time singing, drinking and telling stories.

This is a truly important work.

I highly recommend this book for reasons mentioned by other reviewers. But...the data Sahlins uses to make his argument about the "Original Affluent Society" have been called into question on multiple grounds, notably 1) inadequate time-depth, 2) a restrictive definition of "work," and 3) contrary evidence suggesting that many foragers suffer from malnutrition. See David Kaplan, "The Darker Side of the Original Affluent Society," in the Journal of Anthropological Research (2001).

He takes a subject that could be dry and dull, and makes it interesting.
The logical conclusion from this book is that we should figure out what we really need materially, calculate how many hours we have to work to supply these needs, and not work a minute more.

Very refreshing book with a (for me at least) new view on pastoralist life. This is certainly not only a book for those interested in history, but also provides valuable lessons and warnings for the present governance of fragile ecosystems in which pastoralists live. Away from all to common prejudices about failure of people to get the maximum out of their environment, the book provides a good insights into how and why apparant "laziness" of people actually contributes to their long term survival by maintaining ecological balances. Hence: commendable for everyone thinking about intstitutions needed to preserve open access commons!

My favorite part about the book is that it reminds the economist-type what economics is all about...its not necessarily about money, but about happiness. Why do we work? Because we have to. Wants are not limitless. To have a desirable lifestyle one can either increase income or decrease desire for material objects.

Outside of this, there's not too much merit in the book. After the first 2-3 chapters the rest of the book is pretty boring and provides no real insight. Only a philosopher or a very thorough anthropologist would find a reason to keep plugging away at this bore.

Some of the data certainly paints an incomplete and biased picture...see various other reviews on the Web for details.

Plus, the guy's an arrogant, snooty you-know-what (I found this out after reading the book so it didn't bias my opinion of it) so don't give him any royalties, buy used.