Today our society exists as a market society, which varies from previous societies. The market economy is a self-regulating system of markets; it is a market directed only by market prices and no society before ours was completely controlled by markets. (Polanyi, 43) Polanyi refers to the emergence of market society as the “great transformation”. My thesis is that the shift to market society was a fundamental transformation because it is self-regulating, and has fictitious commodities; these components are different from previous societies. Some changes in the workplace under market society and societies before the market society will be presented as well as people’s worldview in market society according to the connection between “Protestant
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Canada at first was dominated by industries in lumber, timber and grain. (Rinehart, 23) It could not be a market economy because farmers did not have a surplus to sell. (Rinehart, 24) Minority found seasonal or temporary jobs at farms, canal, forest, mine or road workers; some women worked as domestic servants and others exchanged goods. (Rinehart, 24) Immigrants who arrived at Canada with little money could not own land because land was owned by very few people who had money from market speculation. (Rinehart, 24) In the 1840s thousands of landless people were forced to to work as farm labourers or workers on road construction, canals and railways. (Rinehart, 24) Local markets, lack of agricultural surpluses, domestic production, barter system and workshop and artisanal production geared to personal orders made up the “economic man” (Rinehard, 25) The undeveloped market resulted in people being task-orientated rather than time-oriented. (Rinehard, 27) They accomplished what was needed and alternated between working hard for many days and enjoying days of leisure. (Rinehard, 27) In the 1870s large-scale production began to dominate productive activities in Canada. (Rinehard, 29-30) Workers were treated as “costs” and it was the advantage of employers to keep cost to a minimum in order to generate profits within the capitalist economic system. (Rinehard, 30) To make labour cheaper machines were installed that would replace workers and reduce the need for skilled labour. (Rinehard, 30) The number of unskilled workers were growing rapidly; the unskilled workers were women and children. (Rinehard, 30) Workers were driven to toil diligently by a series of punitive measures, which were later supplemented by the more refined techniques of persuasion, manipulation and economic incentives; oppressive work rules forbidding talking, one’s work station, lateness, absenteeism, laxness and spoilage; rules enforced
Canada at first was dominated by industries in lumber, timber and grain. (Rinehart, 23) It could not be a market economy because farmers did not have a surplus to sell. (Rinehart, 24) Minority found seasonal or temporary jobs at farms, canal, forest, mine or road workers; some women worked as domestic servants and others exchanged goods. (Rinehart, 24) Immigrants who arrived at Canada with little money could not own land because land was owned by very few people who had money from market speculation. (Rinehart, 24) In the 1840s thousands of landless people were forced to to work as farm labourers or workers on road construction, canals and railways. (Rinehart, 24) Local markets, lack of agricultural surpluses, domestic production, barter system and workshop and artisanal production geared to personal orders made up the “economic man” (Rinehard, 25) The undeveloped market resulted in people being task-orientated rather than time-oriented. (Rinehard, 27) They accomplished what was needed and alternated between working hard for many days and enjoying days of leisure. (Rinehard, 27) In the 1870s large-scale production began to dominate productive activities in Canada. (Rinehard, 29-30) Workers were treated as “costs” and it was the advantage of employers to keep cost to a minimum in order to generate profits within the capitalist economic system. (Rinehard, 30) To make labour cheaper machines were installed that would replace workers and reduce the need for skilled labour. (Rinehard, 30) The number of unskilled workers were growing rapidly; the unskilled workers were women and children. (Rinehard, 30) Workers were driven to toil diligently by a series of punitive measures, which were later supplemented by the more refined techniques of persuasion, manipulation and economic incentives; oppressive work rules forbidding talking, one’s work station, lateness, absenteeism, laxness and spoilage; rules enforced