This book explores Karl Polanyi's concept of labor, land, and money as "fictional commodities" created by the market. Capitalism transformed these elements, shifting labor from artisanal crafts to factory wage work, land from communal ownership to private property, and money from a medium of exchange to capital for profit.

The book extends Polanyi's vision to modern transformations, analyzing the impact of automation, Artificial Intelligence, and technological advancements on society. It examines the great changes in gender, sexuality, race, and religion, highlighting the ongoing evolution of social and cultural norms. Additionally, the book analyzes the complex relationship between free market capitalism and democracy, offering insights into the balance of power and the future of democratic governance in a rapidly changing world.

This book critically analyzes the forces shaping contemporary society. It will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers in political science, economics, and the social sciences, interested in a better understanding of the great global transformation.

Autorentext

Ronald M. Glassman has taught sociology at Queens College and Herbert Lehman College of the City University of New York, USA, Connecticut College, and William Paterson University of New Jersey, USA. He has also taught "great books" at New York University and Queens College. He holds a PhD in sociology from The New School for Social Research, New York, USA, where he studied under Arthur Vidich and Karl Meyer, an MA in psychology from Ohio State University, USA, and a BA from Queens College. Presently on hiatus from teaching, he continues writing scholarly books from his home in Manhattan's Upper West Side.