The Great Transformation

One of the most powerful books in the social sciences ever written. A must-read. Thomas Piketty describes it as 'the twentieth century's most prophetic critic of capitalism.' 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. The Guardian notes that 'Polanyi exposes the myth of the free market.' This edition includes a new introduction by Gareth Dale.