Commodification leads to social upheaval from "summary" of The Great Transformation by Karl Polanyi
In the midst of the fervent embrace of market forces, the process of commodification takes hold, transforming social relations and institutions in its wake. This relentless drive to transform all aspects of human life into commodities for sale in the market inevitably leads to profound social upheaval. As commodities become the primary means of organizing economic life, traditional social structures and norms are disrupted and displaced. The values that once guided human interactions and relationships are subordinated to the imperatives of the market, resulting in a fundamental reconfiguration of society. The commodification of labor, land, and money strips them of their social and cultural significance, reducing them to mere instruments of economic exchange. This commodification undermines the bonds of reciprocity and mutual obligation that sustain communities, replacing them with impersonal market transactions. As a result, individuals are increasingly alienated from one another, as relationships become mediated by the logic of the market rather than by shared values and common interests. Moreover, the relentless pursuit of profit that drives the process of commodification leads to the commodification of human beings themselves. I...
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