Re: Query: Money as Magic

Matt Silberstein (matts2@ix.netcom.com)
Tue, 16 Jul 1996 15:02:36 GMT

Ande Somby <Ande.Somby@irv.uit.no> wrote:

>Dear All of you.

>I have been looking for a text, that is written by Mary Douglas. She
>emphasises similarities between the modern monetary system and
>traditional magical systems: Both work because people believe on it.

>Unfortenately I dont have the citation. Do any of you have it? Are there
>other anthropologists that have written about such or related things?

>You are very welcome to respond on the net or off the net (if you
>prefere)

I don't know of the book, but it does not sound like a reasonable concept.
In essence, the modern monitary system does work. The belief in the system
has certain helpful aspects. OTOH, magic does not work. So the initial
premis is false.