A Veblenian View of Russian Folklore: Instrumental or Ceremonial Habits of Thought?

Anna Kurysheva and Andrei Vernikov ()

Journal of Economic Issues, 2024, vol. 58, issue 2, 479-486

Abstract: The Veblenian concept of various dispositions driving social behavior is applied in a discourse analysis of folkloric material. A sample of 935 proverbs and sayings represents the nineteenth century Russian popular discourse on housekeeping, work, consumption, spending, borrowing, lending, and debt. We compare the beliefs and messages conveyed in folklore with the ideas of Thorstein Veblen. The core values of the past and the traditional habits of thought turn out to be much less ceremonial than conventional wisdom might imply. In Veblenian parlance, they are “productive” and conducive to the well-being of the household. We conclude that the ceremonial character/nature of traditional institutions might be greatly exaggerated, whereas their instrumentality is understated.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/00213624.2024.2344423

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