The Great Transformation

More Organized Collection: Resources for the Study of Polanyi's Great Transformation

Collection of my writings, and other resources, related to Karl Polanyi's book: The Great Transformation -- Dr. Asad Zaman

1. 1250 word Six Point Summary of The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Times
2. 1000 word article: Markets Versus Society, how markets turn everything into commodities, depriving us of the best things in life, warmth, love, community, uniqueness and preciousness of human lives. (Newspaper Version): with links to other relevant materials, like: Michael J. Sandel: "What isn't for Sale?" The Atlantic, April 2012
3. 4000 word Article: The Market Economy and Its Limits -- summarizes some aspects of Polanyi's argument. (being revised)
4. 30 page paper which expands on the above summary: “The Rise and Fall of the Market Economy,” Review of Islamic Economics, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2010, pp. 123–155
5. The book itself: Polanyi, K. (2001). The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time, 2nd ed. Foreword by Joseph E. Stiglitz; pg.vii-xvii

Commodification of land, natural resources, animals and plants leads a change in mindset from earlier concept of "Mother Nature". This transformation in our ways of thinking is at the root of current environmental disasters of the Anthropocene.

1. "Unregulated Markets and the Transformation of Society" Chapter 18, Routledge Handbook of Ecological Economics: Nature and Society. Editor Clive Spash. 2016 [5000 words, My Draft, with links to related materials]
2. 50m YouTube Lecture:Markets & Society (explains paper above) The great transformation is at the root of environmental destruction, and radical measures are required to reverse it. Simplistic remedies currently under consideration are likely to fail, because they do not address the root cause.
3. Greed is Good: Links to articles on aspects of the transformation of greed from vice to virtue
4. Pursuit of Wealth: The spirit of capitalism is the pursuit of wealth for its own sake; Links to articles on this topic

Polanyi analyzes economic, political, and social changes in historical context using a methodology radically different from currently accepted and dominant methodologies for social sciences in general and economics in particular.

1. Six Point Summary of The Methodology of Polanyi's Great Transformation -- This RWER Blog Post provides a summary of my analysis of Polanyi's methodology
2. Zaman, A. (2016) ‘The Methodology of Polanyi’s Great Transformation.’ Economic Thought, 5.1, pp. 44-63
3. 45m YouTube Lecture: Methodology of Polanyi's Great Transformation -- simplified explanation of paper.
4. Main Page on Methodology, with links to related materials
5. Unfinished Projects on Polanyi: His views on Money & Close Relations between Economics and Wars