Reciprocity Of The Gift And Mauss' Obligation To Reciprocate

Introduction

This essay will critically discuss reciprocity of the gift. Firstly, the essay will explain the type of the gift I have received and the relationship between me and the gift giver, the feeling I felt during the moment, how it affected our relationship and how did it obligate me to reciprocate. Secondly, the essay will discuss what Mauss means with the ‘politics of the gift’ and ‘the obligation to reciprocate’. Thirdly, the essay will consider Mary Douglas’s claim that ‘there is no such as a free gift and the essay will come to a reasoned conclusion.

The gift

The gift I got was a smart phone on my birthday and it was during my matric year which made it more special, because with the gift of a smart phone I can be able to capture information that is taking place globally and the gift made feel happy, very special and appreciated as it was a gift that costs a lot of money, because made it easier for me during the research of my assignment because I had access to the information I needed during my assignments.

The relationship

The relationship I had with the gift giver was a family relationship in which she is my biological mother, after she gave me the gift I felt like I should also reciprocate for her too. My birthday was on July and hers on November so from that time on, I will at least save some money in my safe, which I bought her a chocolate on her birthday too as I know that she loved a chocolate it was her favourite in which she also appreciated it.

Obligation to reciprocate

I reciprocated too because she made me feel special on my birthday I wanted to make her feel the same way on her birthday and make her feel that she is so special to me as it appeared that I am also special to her and by doing that I feel like it made our relationship to become stronger than it was before. What I did as reciprocating too was that I had that chance and the capability to do so. So as I got the opportunity to save some money, I then used that chance. Mauss on politics of the gift and obligation to reciprocate

According to Mauss (1996,11)” A clan, household, association or guest are constrained to demand hospitality, to receive presents to barter or to make blood and marriage alliance”. To decline to offer or to neglect to welcome resembles declining to acknowledge what might be compared to a revelation of war, it is a refusal of companionship and intercourse, again one gives in light of the fact that is compelled to do as such, on the grounds that the beneficiary has a sort restrictive directly over everything which has a place with the contributor, this privilege is communicated and conceived as a kind of an otherworldly security(Mauss,1996:11).

“For all the ongoing commitment the free gift gesture has created, it might just as well never have happened, according to Mauss that is what is wrong with the free gift. A gift that does nothing to enhance solidarity is a contradiction” (Mauss,1996).

In all cases there is a progression of rights and obligations about devouring and reimbursing existing one next to the other with rights and obligations about giving and receiving (Mauss,1996:11). This might happen through maybe a politician who is demanding votes from people will have to at least reciprocate, for example days before elections he will pretend to do a good thing such as donating blankets for the charity maybe by doing that the story might trend on social media and around for reputation of being capable and will maybe gain prestige and more votes from the strategy.

“Finally Mauss goes further: he tells us that everywhere, in every transfer, in an exchange as with a gift, there is an 'obligation to reciprocate'” (Testart, 1998:1),

According to Testart (1998:1) Testart emphasizes that It is glaringly false. A short whilst ago, I gave a franc to someone who used to be begging in the street. Obviously, he will in no way supply it back to me since there is very little risk that we shall meet each different again: I even suppose that if this were to happen, he would no longer try to give me back my coin however would greater possibly ask me for another. Besides, there is no responsibility of any type for him to provide me back something at all, but I think he gained respect or appreciation from reciprocating. According to the gift I got from my mother as a smart phone during my matric and had access to internet, I think my mother gave me the gift to me so that I can be able to pass and as I did pass my matric she ended up gaining happiness. And I reciprocating with a chocolate seeing her happy made me feel happy too.

Douglas There is no such as a free gift

Douglas (1990) argues “that the whole idea of a free gift is based on misunderstanding”. What's going on with the so called unconditional present is the benefactor's expectation to be absolved from return blessings originating from the recipient (Douglas, 1990).” Once given, the free gift entails no further claims from the recipient “(Douglas, 1990). So I as the gift receiver I also agree to the statement made by Douglas based on there is no thing such as a free gift, as my mother bought me a smart phone but she still expected me to sometimes do house chores and help her with the laundry in which she expected something from me.” The literature on child labour is engrossed by an unquestioned faith in the family as an ideal space for the children to grow up and be trained for their future working lives (Nieuwenhuys, 1995:215).

“The peasant family being in this view, governed by emotional consideration, and more specifically parental love and filial piety, the question of parents exploiting their own children did not simply arise” (Nieuwenhuys, 1995:216). Including me doing the house chores and laundry with my mother, as I received a gift in a special way that even made me feel special, for example if someone is showing that shehe cares about you will also try to show the particular person that you care to about him or her, so as I received the gift it showed love, caring and special treatment from my mother that obligated me to reciprocate to her that I can also express my feelings about her, that I also care and she is a special person my life, even when I was unconscious of the exploitation of doing house chores was a way of returning something to her.

Conclusion

In conclusion I will say to receive a gift has power to obligate you to reciprocate in so many ways which might be an obligation to reciprocate with a gift, or either the respect or any kind of an emotion than might benefit the gift giver.