A Commodified World?: Mapping the Limits of Capitalism

A Commodified World critiques the notion that in Late Capitalism all economic relations become always ever more commodified, while 'non-capitalist' activities disappear. It demonstrates that a combination of new 'cultures of resistance' all constrain this tendency or even threaten to reverse it. Colin Williams finds that, even in the advanced economies, a non-commodified realm persists that is as large as the commodified sphere and growing relative to it. He draws on extensive empirical evidence of trends and new patterns of economic activity – including changes in women's participation, differences between wealthy and poor urban areas, and between urban and rural sectors. He explores non-commodified practices of resistance. And he concludes that governments and communities, by de-coupling production and consumption from the commodified realm, could open up alternative development paths.

Colin Williams is Professor of Work Organization and Director of the Collective for Alternative Organization Studies (CAOS) at the University of Leicester Management Centre (ULMC).