GRGR(28): The Mandrake Root

[Sombart]

Jeremy Osner wrote:
> 
> The story of the mandrake root (p. 625) -- is it a parable of the
> dawning of capitalism? That seems like a plausible explanation (if one
> is needed) to me -- from death (of the prisoner and of the dog) comes
> the root-of-all-evil which introduces the concept of inflation -- the
> fledgeling beaurocrats of the CIA are interested right away (and look at
> the linkage between sorcery, hierarchy, capital, and espionage). Any
> other thoughts here? Note that the dog's death is purely gratuitous --
> the sorcerer could have plugged up his ears and pulled the root himself,
> no? or plugged up the dog's ears...
> 
> Jeremy


Well that reminds me of that story I read about in that book
on Longitude and Harrison, by Dava Sobel wherein she
recounts a goodly story for any TRP fan, no not a shaggy
dog, but a wounded dog. I think you are correct sir. A
parable for dawning of capitalism it is. A Grimm parable,
yes sir, a Grimm tale with screaming roots and hands
invisible coming out of the sky. Why Jacob Fugger and J.
Peirmont Morgan could sit at and talk numbers, understand
each other's points of view and temperaments, but Peracelsus
and Einstein would think each other mad. Numbers,
Capitalism, out with the barter economy and in with the
Money economy, credit, abstractions--gold, drafts, bills,
futures, options, Numbers, Inflation. And how did the Money
double over night? Magic? No!
The hand? That hand and scream turned people from tangibles
to Intangibles with the MACHINE--Consumptive Pull and
Productive Drive. Who or what brought this about? The
Machine? No, not by itself. Science? No, not by itself. When
men could do more work with a machine they could work less,
right? Work less because there is no way or desire to move
out of one's class and besides more time  for Art and Sex
and Ritual, Fun. But the weakening of these classes and the
new ideal of a kingdom of this world--a powerful expensive
life-- supplanted the ideal of a holy hereafter in the
scheme of the Christian cosmos. Trying to think ahead, did
Slothrop's Puritan ancestors fight against this? 
Is it OK to be a what is a Luddite anyway.