The Accursed Share: An Essay on General Economy : Consumption (001) - Couverture souple

Bataille, Georges

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0942299116 ISBN 13 : 9780942299113

Editeur : Zone Books, 1991

Synopsis

From the acclaimed French philosopher, intellectual, and novelist, a brilliant account of the social and economic costs of civilization

In this important work, Georges Bataille uses his novel economic theory as the basis for an incisive inquiry into the very nature of civilization. He introduces here his concept of the accursed share, the surplus energy that any system, natural or cultural, must expend; it is this expenditure, according to Bataille, that most clearly defines a society. His examples include sacrifice among the Aztecs, potlatch among the Northwest Coast Indians, military conquest in Islam, and Buddhist monasticism in Tibet.

In this way, Bataille proposes a theory of a "general economy" based on excess and exuberance that radically revises conventional economic models of scarcity and utility. A brilliant blend of economics and aesthetics, ethics and anthropology, The Accursed Share provides an excellent introduction to Bataille's philosophic work. It will be of particular interest not only to readers of his fiction and essays but also to cultural theorists, anthropologists, and economists of all schools.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

Georges Bataille (1897-1962) was a French writer, essayist, and philosopher whose works include The Story of the Eye, The Blue of Noon, The Accursed Share, and Theory of Religion.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Zone Books
• Date d'édition: 1991
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0942299116
• ISBN 13: 9780942299113
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 200
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible