SERICUL TURE AND THE PROCESS OF CHANGE - Institute for ...

symmetric relations are distinguished from the asymmetric relations. The
distinctions between these two types have not been elaborated except
citing the example of labour assistance and credit-debtor relations,
corresponding to the above categories respectively.
What is understood from an analysis of interactional networks is
that most relations are based on reciprocity with a few exceptions. The
content of reciprocity may differ in some relations. This is clearly the
case in buyer-seller and creditor-debtor relations. In some cases, along
with the difference in the content of reciprocity, there could also be an
element of exploitation, involving a dominant-dominated relation. This
is the case with most of the barter system as well as with the patronclient
relations. There could be a few relations, which are devoid of
reciprocity. This can happen in the context of fiiendship or even among
certain kin relations.
The relation is symmetric when the interacting persons are in the
same plane with similar reciprocity. The relations could be asymmetric,
when the interacting persons are playing different but socially accepted
roles. Those relations which lack reciprocity would fail in the category
of non-symmetrical relations. In addition, there are also relations
between individuals, that are unequal and sometimes even exploitative,
which may be termed as dysymmetric.
From the above analysis, all these types could be identified in
different dimensions, in the context of sericulture. The fiiendship
interactions mainly belong to the symmetric network relations where the
persons on both sides interact, standing on a same plane. These are
mainly of 'reciprocated friendships or neighbourliness' to put it in the
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