Abstract
The purpose of this article is to prove that there is an appropriate size in each practice of the local
community welfare policy from the viewpoints of Mauss' gift theory and Dahl's size theory.
First, I discuss the validity of using Mauss' gift theory and Dahl's size theory as a theoretical
framework for interpreting the present local welfare practices. Thereafter, I apply three models of Mauss'
gift theory to three typical local community welfare practices. Moreover, I consider the appropriate size
for each model of Mauss' gift theory according to the standard indicated by Dahl's size theory.
The following two aspects will be proven through the abovementioned analyses: First, it is
possible to categorize local community welfare practices on the basis of three models of Mauss' gift
theory. Second, it is also possible to assume an appropriate size for each model by applying Dahl's size
theory to the three models.
By further developing the abovementioned aspects, I argue the affinity of local community
welfare practices based on each gift theory model with those based on other models. Through the
discovery of this affinity, welfare practices of different models and sizes can be applied at multiple levels
in one community. Thus, this research may possibly function as a pilot study on the relationship between
the appropriate size of each gift theory model and social welfare practices.
