Toward a Polanyi Reconstruction

Polanyi provided a seminal contribution to economic anthropology in which he identified the basic elements of economic life.

Polanyi identified economic sectors that can provide the basis for reconstruction of economic life. Each culture and bioregion will generate an economy based on its own circumstances. Thus, diversity, local-control, democratic participation, and conservation can go forward simultaneously.

Householding: the expansion of the role of the household from the locus of consumption to direct production

Consistent with social ecology.

Reciprocity:

Community-based institutions

Markets I: Local Trade

Which includes barter and allows for alternative currencies.

Markets II: Long Distance Trade

At the second class meeting all students will elect to join one of three discussion-research groups that will focus on one of the three interrelated crises and the citizens organizations/movements that have emerged to respond to these issues.

Redistribution: a confederated system of government

This arrangement is highly adapted to the federalism of the U.S.