ABSTRACT
In Baudrillard’s early more political and “sociological” writings, there are numerous references to “primitive” societies and anthropological accounts of indigenous peoples. One of Baudrillard’s key concepts – that of “symbolic exchange” – is drawn from these accounts of so-called “primitive” peoples. But who exactly are these peoples that Baudrillard refers to? And how accurate is his use of anthropological terms such as the “potlatch”? This chapter examines Baudrillard’s own warning that “Alluding to primitive societies is undoubtedly dangerous …” in relation to the fact that such allusions permeate virtually all of Baudrillard’s writings.
