Commodification of social relations

As capitalistic societies sprung up, capitalism engulfed the entire world under its exploitative influence. From social relations to religious practices, every human interaction absorbed some form of commodification.

Karl Polanyi, in his book, The Great Transformation, discussed how non-market economies have been closely tied to non-economic institutions such as social and political formations.

His idea of embeddedness elaborates how “economy is not autonomous, as it must be in economic theory, but subordinated to politics, religion and social relations”.

In his view, economies have historically been subordinated to social relations. However, the emanation of self-regulating free market economies have subdued the pervasive influence of societal interaction. Polyani claims that “ultimately that is why the control of the economic system by the market is of overwhelming consequence to the whole organization of society: it means no less than the running of society as an adjunct to the market”.

Following this argument, Polanyi illustrates overpowering influence of economy over social relations in these words: “Instead of economy being embedded in social relations, social relations are embedded in the economic system”.

If we look at human interaction in contemporary times, it seems like Polanyi’s argument has acquired relevance. Most of the human interactions are now based upon some form of economic or social benefit. Therefore, such relations thrive on favours or monetary advantages; implying that it is a rare possibility for any social relation to sustain without such outcomes in an individual’s “self-interested” brains.

In our intimate conversations with our closed ones, we often come across the word “matlabi” (self-interested) being conferred upon individuals. This trait inherited it’s characteristics from the economic theory. The foundational principle of the dominant free market economy is based on the idea of “self-interest”, which is why in growing capitalistic societies, states and individuals adhered to this idea religiously. Although this concept initially remained confined to the economic sphere its influence soon seeped into the social sphere, ultimately wreaking havoc in the society.

The very society, that used to look up to this idea in the economic sphere, stigmatised this “basic” concept when it gradually paved its way into social relations. Hence the same social relations that once held sway over economic relations have now become subservient to the latter.

What needs to be underscored is that commodification of social relations has reached alarming levels: parents now think of their kids as “matlabi”; children perceive their parents unreasonable; male members of the family see themselves as “protectors” of their female family members, imposing restrictions and the veil, only to rip apart their “holy chador” at the time of inheritance distribution. Not to mention the PIC lawyers’ attack, where patients were deprived of oxygen masks; children being sexually assaulted brazenly everywhere and the lucrative trade of body parts. These are just few of the ills plaguing our society. However, such shameless acts only validate the argument that commodification has become deeply entrenched in our interest-based society.

In this battle against self-interest, humanity and social cohesion have lost significant space to interest and profit driven ideals. The concept of “give and take” has gained currency, coercing respect, humility, morality and ethics into the background. For societies to sustain, social disciplines need to be embedded in social interactions. If our society wouldn’t be instilled with the philosophy of humility and morality at all levels now, our social relations and religious interactions would eventually be subsumed into economic ones; perpetuating chaos across the society.

Until then we all fall in the broad category of “matlabi”. So let’s not stigmatise the trait we are all ingrained with to a varying extent.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2020.

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