Malay Fishermen: Their Peasant Economy - Paperback

by Raymond William Firth (Author)

As a general background, the first two chapters of the book discuss characteristics of Malay rural society, especially in the coastal area, in Kelantan; the main features of Malay marine fishing; and the particular situation of the fisheries in Kelantan and Trengganu. The body of the book then deals with what is in effect an historical case study in economic anthropology, a community of peasant fishermen analyzed in detail. Finally, Professor Firth gives an account on a comparative basis of recent developments in the same community, to bring out some of the underlying social and economic forces that have been at work during the past generation.

Back Jacket

Bringing together the theoretical framework of the economist and the field techniques of the anthropologists, Raymond Firth describes here how a Malay fishing economy functions. Now in its second edition, 'Malay Fisherman' is a pioneering analysis of production, marketing, and distribution in a Malay fishing community, related to community structure and values.