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.

Analyzes the impact of modern technologies like AI and automation on societal and cultural norms Examines the relationship between free market capitalism and democracy in today's world Presents the evolution of gender, race, and religion in the context of global societal changes

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.

Inhalt

Part I: Karl Polanyi's Vision and Beyond.- Chapter 1. Karl Polanyi's Vision: Free Market Capitalism and the Transformation of the World Polanyi's Vision and Its Shortcomings.- Chapter 2. Beyond Polanyi.- Part II: The Economic Transformation to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 3. The Economic Transformation to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 4. The Rapid but Uneven Transition to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 5. Polanyi Again: the Effect of the Market on Human Social Interactions.- Part III: the Social and Cultural Transformations of the 21st Century.- Chapter 6. Global Culture vs. Tribal Identity.- Chapter 7. Women's Liberation in Historical Perspective.- Chapter 8. Some Unintended Effects of Women's Liberation.- Chapter 9. Gay Liberation in Socio-historical Perspective.- Chapter 10. Gay Liberation and World Religions.- Chapter 11. Gay Liberation and New Definitions of Gender.- Chapter 12. The Remarkable Case of Greece: Ancient, Byzantine Christianity and Modern.- Part IV: Science and Secular Humanism as the New Global Zeitgeist.- Chapter 13. The History of the Rational-scientific Worldview.- Chapter 14. Science and Religion in the Modern World.- Chapter 15. Science and Humanistic Ethics.- Chapter 16. Emile Durkheim's Theory of Social Change and Anomie: the Impact of the Social and Cultural Changes on the Emerging Global Society.- Part V: The Political Transformation to Electoral Democracy and Legal-rational Authority.- Chapter 17. The Third Wave of Democracy.- Chapter 18. The New Wave of Dictatorship Begins to Displace the Third Ave of Democracy.- Chapter 19. Max Weber's Theory of the Transition From Traditional Authority to Legal-rational Authority, With Charismatic Leadership as a Bridge Between Them.- Part VI: Technological Change Beyond Our Imagination and It's Sociological Impact.- Chapter 20. The Technological Change and Its Sociological Impact.- Part VII: Our Place in the Universe.- Chapter 21. The Universe and Our Place in It.- Chapter 22. Can Humanistic Ethics Predominate on the Big Blue Marble?.