Magyar szociológiatörténeti füzetek, 2. (Budapest, 1986)

Summary

Economic Historian (1934-1964)

'The Great Transformation,' the book which brought him instant fame all over the world, appeared in 1944. Here Polanyi analyzed the conditions among which the market economy became dominant in the word and outlined a comparative economic history. In his later studies his interest was widened, encompassing economic history of the Ancient World and the Middle Ages, moreover he contributed to economic anthropology by giving a research strategy.

These investigations were reflected in his other major works: Trade and Market in the Early Empires (1937) and the posthumouslv putùised 'Dahomey and the Slave Trade' (1966) and 'The Livelihood of Man' (1977).

He summarized his own fundamental thoughts at a sociological congress in 1964 as follows:

"1. that economic determinism was predominantly a 19th century phenomenon, which has now ceased to operate in the greater part of the world; it was effective only under a market system, which is rapidly disappearing in Europe;

2. that the market system violently distorted our views on man and society;

3. that these distorted views are proving one of the main obstacles to the solution of the problems of our civilization."

His ideas on the economy have most intensively penetrated into economic anthropology. His views of the

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