Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Money and exchange in the modern constitution

Abstract

This paper provides an interpretation of the classical conception of money as a neutral instrument for pure market exchanges, based on the concept of constitution as proposed by Bruno Latour in Nous N’Avons Jamais Été Modernes. The aim is to support the hypothesis of an association between the epistemic constitution of modernity and monetary orthodoxy, as this modern conception also postulates an autonomous sphere of mercantile exchange. In the end, questions are raised concerning a possible renewal of the conception of money so as to correspond to a constitution that would overcome the limits of the modern form.

Keywords:
History of economic thought; Sociology of science; Epistemology; Money; Exchange; Assymetry; Michel Foucault, 1926-1984; Bruno Latour, 1947-

Instituto de Economia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Publicações Rua Pitágoras, 353 - CEP 13083-857, Tel.: +55 19 3521-5708 - Campinas - SP - Brazil
E-mail: publicie@unicamp.br