L’actualité de l’« Essai sur le don »

Abstract

Au début de son célèbre « Essai », Mauss oppose le don chez les archaïques au don dans nos sociétés. Mais au fur et à mesure qu’il progresse, il est porté à remettre cette opposition de plus en plus en question. Nous suggérons dans ce texte que Marcel Mauss a ainsi ouvert la voie à l’étude du don moderne, notamment avec la notion indigène de hau.At the beginning of his famous Essay, Mauss contrasts the gift in archaic times with the gift in our own societies. But as he advances, he tends increasingly to question this comparison. We suggest in this text that Marcel Mauss has thus opened the way to the study of the modern gift, particularly with the indigenous concept of hau.Al principio de su famoso Ensayo, Mauss opone el don de los arcaísmos al don de nuestras sociedades. Pero a medida que progresa, lleva a poner de nuevo ésta oposición cada vez más en cuestión. Sugerimos en este texto que Marcel Mauss a abierto la vía al estudio del don moderno, en particular, con el concepto indígena de hau

The creation of trust: the interplay of rationality, institutions and exchange

“…The sharing of the costs by the bar-turner who refuses to exploit his superior position is a type of gift-giving which creates and maintain social ties (Godbout 1992(Godbout , 2004Mauss 1950Mauss , 1990. Gift-giving creates a feeling of obligation to reciprocate in the exchange.…”

Mauss'sThe Gift, or the necessity of an institutional perspective in economics

“…: 73). Furthermore, as Godbout (2004) argues, in the course of The Gift Mauss gradually accentuates the emphasis on freedom and progressively reduces the weight of obligation. He does so, for instance, by stressing the cyclical nature of gifts as against Malinowski's notion of free gift.…”

How to understand international society differently: Mauss and the chains of reciprocity

“…In his exploration of the universe of the gift, Mauss does not focus so much on what circulates between individuals. According to Godbout (2004), “instead of limiting himself to observe what circulates in one direction or the other, Mauss posed himself the question of the meaning of the relationship” (2004: 179). Indeed, at the beginning of The Gift , he concentrated his effort on the presents and the goods that are given.…”

“…He or she is automatically bound: “To refuse to give, to fail to invite, just as to refuse to accept, is tantamount to declaring war; it is to reject the bond of alliance and commonality” (Mauss, 2002 [1925]: 17). On the other hand, the receiver of the gift is free, even to refuse the return: “If there is a return, it will be free, in the sense that the final return will not be made in virtue of an obligation incurred by the receiver” (Godbout, 2004: 179). Besides, the donation requires partners.…”