The Great Transformation

Tracing the history of capitalism in England and beyond, Karl Polanyi''s landmark 1944 classic brilliantly exposed the myth of laissez-faire economics. From the great transformation that occurred during the industrial revolution onwards, he showed, there has been nothing ''natural'' about the market state. Instead, the economy must always be embedded in society, and human needs and relations. Witnessing the ''avalanche of social dislocation'' of his time - from the Great Depression, to the rise of fascism and communism and the First and Second World Wars - Polanyi ends with a rallying cry for freedom, and a passionate vision to protect our common humanity.>

Autorentext
Karl Polanyi (1886-1964) is considered one of the twentieth century's most prophetic and perceptive economic historians and social theorists. After fleeing his native Hungary and Austria with the rise of fascism, he became a British citizen. During his academic career he taught for the Workers' Educational Association and at Bennington College and Columbia University. He wrote '*The Essence of Fascism', *The Great Transformation, and (with A. Rotstein) Dahomey and the Slave Trade.

Klappentext

'One of the most powerful books in the social sciences ever written. ... A must-read' Thomas Piketty'The twentieth century's most prophetic critic of capitalism' ProspectKarl Polanyi's landmark 1944 work is one of the earliest and most powerful critiques of unregulated markets. Tracing the history of capitalism from the great transformation of the industrial revolution onwards, he shows that there has been nothing 'natural' about the market state. Instead of reducing human relations and our environment to mere commodities, the economy must always be embedded in civil society. Describing the 'avalanche of social dislocation' of his time, Polanyi's hugely influential work is a passionate call to protect our common humanity. 'Polanyi's vision for an alternative economy re-embedded in politics and social relations offers a refreshing alternative' Guardian'Polanyi exposes the myth of the free market' Joseph StiglitzWith a new introduction by Gareth Dale

Zusammenfassung

'One of the most powerful books in social sciences ever written. ... A must-read' Thomas Piketty
'The twentieth century's most prophetic critic of capitalism' Prospect

Karl Polanyi's landmark 1944 work is one of the earliest and most powerful critiques of unregulated markets. Tracing the history of capitalism from the great transformation of the industrial revolution onwards, he shows that there has been nothing 'natural' about the market state. Instead of reducing human relations and our environment to mere commodities, the economy must always be embedded in civil society. Describing the 'avalanche of social dislocation' of his time, Polanyi's hugely influential work is a passionate call to protect our common humanity.

'Polanyi's vision for an alternative economy re-embedded in politics and social relations offers a refreshing alternative' Guardian

'Polanyi exposes the myth of the free market' Joseph Stiglitz

With a new introduction by Gareth Dale