Beyond exchange - Karl Marx and the sociology of gift

This paper discusses Karl Marx' theory as a contribution to the sociology of gift, particularly in connection with current approaches to conceptualize giving and receiving, "beyond turing exchange" or reciprocity. Therefore, at first the norm of reciprocity is developed both as a structuring pattern of society and a concept of social justice, while focussing on the question of the origins of the obligation of reciprocity. Its roots are traced back genealogically to the social asymmetry produced by the gift as a performative act, which also shows the latent warlike dimension of the gift-relation. With Marx's critique of alienation, the problematic dimension of reciprocity can be further demonstrated but also - with reference to Marx's Auszuge aus James Mills Buch, "Elemens d'economie politique" (1844) - contrasted with the utopia of a radical separation of gift and countergift. Finally, Marx' contribution to the sociology of gift is summarized and compared to the approaches of Bourdieu, Derrida and Caille.