The moral economy of labour and resistance to commoditisation in the Matagalpa highlands of Nicaragua

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ABSTRACT Nicaraguan campesinos partially resist the commoditisation of labour through different ways of valuing, pricing and prioritising their work. Resistance is enabled by everyday practices, moral ideologies and social norms regarding labour exchange. Moral norms simultaneously enable safety nets for emergencies and the destitute, and allow people to participate in capitalist labour markets with a degree of autonomy. However, these moral economies disguise class and gender conflicts. This article breaks down the idea that market exchanges are only profit-seeking and gift-giving is solely the product of mutuality: labour exchanges are a contested battlefield, where exploiters can portray themselves as helpers.