Explain commodification as a feature of capitalism.

OR

According to Alfred Gell the market has significance beyond its economic function. Explain.

Commodification is the transformation of goods, services, ideas and people into commodities or objects of trade. For example, marriage bureau, sale of kidney etc.

Commodification as a feature of capitalism is explained below:

a. The spread of capitalism led to the markets into places and sphere of life that were previously not included in this system.

b. It implied that now things were traded as commodities, which were not considered as ones.

c. For example, the set up of privately owned personality development classes that groom a person, improve speaking skills etc.

d. Many coaching classes are also being set up for the same.

OR

According to Alfred Gell the market has significance beyond its economic function. This statement has been explained below:

a. According to Alfred Gill, the famous anthropologist, the centre portion of the market is occupied by the nontribals.

b. Rich Dikus sold semi-precious stones to tribals who belonged to the nonmiddle class, second level middle class, periphery tribal and lower castes.

c. The interaction between the tribals and nontribals trader was different.

d. Both the tribals and nontribals have nothing in common except the market.

e. Tribals were both sellers and buyers.

f. The common items were not available on a daily basis. They had to wait for the weekly market to buy these goods.