ABSTRACT
A major feature of Redfield’s distinction between peasant and folk society is that in the former the economy is more clearly distinguished from other aspects of the society than it is in the latter. The folk society defines a limited number of roles very broadly, so that instead of economic, political, religious and other types of roles, it is more useful to speak of such aspects of the major, usually kinship, roles. Rural Malay society exports primary products to the rest of Malaya and imports consumption goods. All economic functions other than primary production are carried on by other races, above all by the Chinese. Rubber is sold as unsmoked sheet, often not even properly dried. Fruit and rice are sold at the roadside. The Chinese is very superstitious in the weight given to supernatural factors in economic matters. The most important economic specialization is that between owner and tenant.
