Magyar szociológiatörténeti füzetek, 2. (Budapest, 1986)
Summary
together with his humanitarianism, motivates, directs and almost maps out his economic theory, his historical and social philosophy even if we can hardly talk about explicit historical and social philosophy. His ethical stand has a similarly central place in his oeuvre. As I see, these are the main reasons why Polanyi was reluctant to adobt Marxism. The materialistic determinism of Marxism was too far from him. He considered that determinism as one allowing for "humankind marching towards a single common goal" only that much freedom where it is possible to realize this distorted imaginary goal and subordinate the ethical choices to it. Polanyi's daughter, Kari Levitt,wrote on this problem: "his life was guided by an inner necessity to exercise freedom of action and thought and never to give in to determinism or fatalism." This conviction of Polanyi seems to illuminate another problem: his so-called apolitical mind, which has been so often written about that it has become an often repeated commonplace. Indeed, if we consider the politlcan as a person of no individuality, working in underground conspirations, or as a dictator exercising limitless power, or as a diplomat negotiating at white tables, then this 'commonplace' holds true. But if we give a wider interpretation of politics, so that it would embrace all those seeking answers for the major issues of an age, accepting the challenges of the world as ethical commandments, then Polanyi was most certainly of a political mind. Neither is it true that "he never belonged to any political parties, 173
