Marcel Mauss wrote in 1923 in his essay The Gift that he had "found one of the rocks on which our societies rest" in the motifs of the exchange of gifts. This thesis still raises questions today: How does the gift create solidarity, recognition and trust? And does it still work in modern societies? Based on a concise history of the reception of Mauss's essay and in dialogue with thinkers from philosophy, political science and economics, Marc Frick comes to the conclusion that the gift has a central function in our society alongside the market and the state. He also explains the political consequences of this and how gift interactions can be used to secure the social fabric.
Frick, Marc (2021), Die Gabe als drittes Prinzip zwischen Markt und Staat?, Transcript, Bielefeld