By Deborah James
Clawing Back draws on a rich ethnography of the human relationships at the centre of the redistribution of wealth.
The book shows how people use wages, welfare and debt to build social relations and market futures. They also use these resources to engage with the state and to convert between commodified and non-commodified relationships.
The impulse to redistribute wealth is often described as a tool to counter inequalities. It is applied by the state or society to curb the worst excesses of capitalist exploitation and free trade.
Redistribution as redress
In settings where previous political regimes are reformed, or toppled and replaced by new ones, redistribution can become a policy of redress. It is exercised at the formal level of policy and reflects the effort to correct historical wrongs.
Drawing on a comparative ethnography in South Africa and the United Kingdom, Clawing Back shows how reallocation and payout connect closely with ideas of compensation for a loss.
When financialisation occurs alongside increased informalisation, redistribution can involve the market as well as kinship and social networks. This highlights how financial practices reach into both economic and personal life.
Rethinking financialisation
Clawing Back also illustrates how borrowing creates opportunities for negotiation. Wage earners and welfare beneficiaries make use of debt to build relationships and shape futures. They engage with the state and shift between commodified and non-commodified forms of exchange. This process demonstrates that debt is not only a burden but also a means of agency.
Rather than framing financialisation as entirely harmful or wholly beneficial, Deborah James presents a different perspective. She suggests a new way of visualising the relationship between the finance industry and the world of everyday needs. By examining this interplay, Clawing Back redefines how financial systems intersect with ordinary lives.
About the author
Deborah James is an anthropologist of the economy and Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics. She is also a Faculty Associate in the International Inequalities Institute. Among her other works, she is the author of Money from Nothing: Indebtedness and Aspiration in South Africa.
- Publisher | Wits University Press |
- ISBN | 9781776149698 |
- Recommended Price | R330.00 |
- Subject | History |
For more information | Corina van der Spoel | +27 (0)11 717 8705/8700 | mail me |
