'One of the most powerful books in the social sciences ever written. ... A must-read' Thomas
Piketty'The twentieth century's most prophetic critic of capitalism' Prospect'Polanyi's
revolutionary work is a must-read' Mariana MazzucatoKarl 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'
Guardian'Polanyi exposes the myth of the free market' Joseph E. StiglitzWith a new introduction
by Gareth Dale
