Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Shift from Traditional Societies to a Market Society

Material and ideological conditions are integral components of a market society, which interacted and changed the ways we view market society today. I will discuss the shift from traditional societies to a market society to explain what Polanyi refers to as â€Å"the great transformation†. I will then talk about the changes that have occurred in the workplace, the impact on these workers, and the worldview of those in a market society. According to Polanyi, a market economy becomes a market society when all land, labour and capital are commodified (Polanyi, 1957). A market society is a structure, which primarily focuses on the production and distribution of commodities and services. This takes place through a free market system, which allows†¦show more content†¦As Bendix explains, Weber believed that if a man’s hard work was seen as being naturally rewarding, that he would then work for his personal satisfaction (Bendix, 1962). This is referred to as the †Å"spirit of capitalism†, which is a contrasted term to â€Å"traditionalism†, where workers prefer less work to more pay, seek maximum comfort and minimum exertion during working hours, and are unable or unwilling to adapt themselves to new methods of work. Adherence to â€Å"traditionalism† is incompatible with the idea of â€Å"hard work as a virtue and hence a moral obligation†, or the â€Å"spirit of capitalism† (Bendix, 1962, p.52). Therefore, the â€Å"spirit of capitalism† is the idea and quality of living, which favours the rational pursuit of economic gain. A man’s hard work was to be seen as naturally rewarding and would therefore work for his own personal satisfaction. Polanyi’s describes Adam Smith’s idea of the â€Å"economic man†, as a notion of human nature in which we are meant to exchange (Polanyi, 1957). Since we are living in a market society, people must adopt a capitalistic mindset that seeks individual advantage that puts individual needs over social needs. This mindset supports the capitalist mode of production, as we concern ourselves with making money so we can buy things, which is essentially capitalisms goal. With this mindset, workers strive to work longer hours on clock time, to earn a wage in order to buy things for their own satisfaction. Bendix also discussesShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Karl Polanyi s Societies And Economic Systems 1389 Words   |  6 Pages Transformation of The Workplace In Karl Polanyi’s article â€Å"Societies and Economic Systems†, Karl Rinehart’s ‘Alienation and the Development of Industrial Capitalism in Canada’, and Richard Bendix’s â€Å"Aspects of Economic Rationality in the West†, the emergence and transformation to a market society is displayed through ideological and material conditions. Polanyi attempts to uncover the rise of the market economy by examining past economic structures and the change in the role of commoditiesRead MoreIn The Great Transformation, Karl Polanyi Speaks Of The1528 Words   |  7 Pagesof the shift from traditional society to a market society as the ‘great transformation’. In The Making of Economic Society, Robert Heilbroner addresses key areas in which our market society differs from previous social structures. In The Tyranny of Work, James W. Rinehart addresses how this shift affected workers. Finally, through interpretation of Max Weber’s wor ks in Max Weber, Richard Bendix addresses how the Protestant Reformation made way for the work ethic required for a market society to flourishRead MoreAnalysis Of Cornel West, An American Philosopher And Political Activist1444 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"We live in a predatory capitalist society in which everything is for sale. Everybody is for sale, so there is ubiquitous commodification.† This quotation by Cornel West, an American philosopher and political activist, conveys the widespread objectification of human beings in our society. The narrow, traditional image of prostitution has experienced a dramatic shift in the post-industrial American society. Sex workers are not automatically considered to be from low-income, marginalized groups, andRead MoreKarl Polanyi, Max Weber And Robert Heilbroner1540 Words   |  7 Pagespresent in the modern society and those before, each influencing the other. Material conditions determine an individual’s way of life, the wages t hey collect, and how such earnings determine social class. It is through ideological conditions that ideas derive, which give birth to the ways civilization behaves and operates. This paper will look at a series of theoretical works by Karl Polanyi, James Rinehart, Max Weber, and Robert Heilbroner, deliberating the market society and its progression inRead MoreEssay on Market Society1680 Words   |  7 Pagesexplain about the important shift to market society by explaining the material and ideological conditions that help integrate the society to transform into the market society. Firstly, this paper is going to explain the material conditions by showing what characterizes a market society and this also show how the market society differs from the structures of the previous social organization, and also the changes that take place in the workplace due to the shift to market society. Secondly, this paper willRead MoreThe Emergence Of Market Society1573 Words   |  7 PagesThe whol e society has become a market. Societies used to consist of people that were governed by certain ideologies, laws, and practices. Being driven by capitalism, society has developed everything into a commodity, in which we now call a market society. Other socio-economic communities historically had concepts that were different from what is predominated in our present society. The emergence of market society establishes the great transformation from a traditional society to a market economy thatRead MoreTraditional Aboriginal Art As A Communication Tool Throughout Australian Aboriginal History993 Words   |  4 PagesTraditional Aboriginal Art Art has been used as a communication tool throughout Australian aboriginal history. They were utilized to convey knowledge of ancestral pasts and tapping into the spiritual power of their beliefs. In a traditionally oriented Aboriginal society, art was also very valuable. It was placed under such high regards that producing them are being controlled and access to them are restricted to only people of certain status . The body of the artwork are also predetermined. ThusRead MoreEssay on Multinationalism and Globalization in Britain1133 Words   |  5 Pagesregarded as a Postmodern society, and if this is the case must be subject to two of the central issues of this circumstance: those of first globalisation, then multinationalism. What is it that these concepts constitute that affects contemporary British society? The academic, David Held describes globalisation as the increasing extent, intensity, velocity and impact of world-wide interconnectedness - that is the growing extent to which societies, more local groupingsRead MoreThe Main Point Rebecca Traister Is Attempting To Make In1177 Words   |  5 PagesThe main point Rebecca Traister is attempting to make in her novel, All the Single Ladies, is one concerning the radical shift in the idea of women’s roles within American society since the post-war period. More specifically, Traister argues that this shift has resulted in a redefinition of what it means to be a woman, one that expands previously rigid role categories. Traister argues that it’s because of this redefinition that we see such a large decrease in married individuals within the UnitedRead MoreThe Case Study Of Barbies Success Story1007 Words   |  5 Pages BARBIE’S SUCCESS STORY Friday 12 August 2011 THE CASE The case examines the evolution of the Barbie doll over the years from its launch in 1959. It explores the product development strategies adopted by Mattel for Barbie and the reasons for the success of Barbie. The case also explores changes in Barbie s image along with the changes in American society. The criticism leveled against Barbie by feminists has also been described. The case also examines the challenges that Barbie could

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.