Neo-Materialism and Political Economy
Theory: The basic theoretical perspectives between Harris and Wolf are production and change respectively. Neo- materialism and the political economy theory explains social and cultural occurrence as dynamic with regards to manufacture materials and ideologies which change with time (“Neo-Materialism and Political Economy Readings”). The ideas of Harris are guided by the question; how the materials benefit the society while Wolf researches how the materials relate to the world and societal stratification.
History: The establishment of this theory was based on the historical context of power, philosophies, and developments in a socio-cultural organization. Harris and Wolf were pushed by the urge to understand how culture influenced the social organization of a particular community (“Neo-Materialism and Political Economy Readings”). Furthermore, they wanted to expound on the anthropological knowledge which they already acquired.
Evidence: In their study, Harris collected evidence from the Hindu religion about the sacred cattle while Wolf evidence was generated from observing the American culture and the cultural living of peasant communities The theorists analyzed the information they generated to come up with their arguments. The theoretical perspectives defined the type of evidence to be collected since it focused on material production and change.
Method: The basic methods which Harris used to collect and analyze evidence include interview and questionnaire. Wolf used observation and case study. The hypothetical view shaped the way the evidence would be collected and analyzed since its essence was to prove how changes in production affect the socio-cultural organization in a community.
Application: Wolf and Harris applied this theory to understand the bases of the American culture and its ideas which include production (“Neo-Materialism and Political Economy Readings”). Additionally, it was applied to explain the principles that support capitalism in America. The theory can be applied in the modern world to understand the benefits of the advancement of technology and how it affects the societal organization.
Problems: Some of the problems associated with this theory arise from the evidence used and the methods employed to collect it. Since the theory focused on the change brought by production materials, it ought to have used evidence from current social settings so that the outcome can be applied in the present-day society. The methods also were not sufficient to collect such evidence. The incorporation of secondary methods would make the theory more credible.
Works Cited
Neo-Materialism and Political Economy Readings: Moore: 149-157 (Harris); 242-257 (Wolf) and McGee & Warms: 305-338 (Harris; Wolf)
