Karl Polanyi E O ‘Grande Debate’ Entre Substantivistas E Formalistas Na Antropologia Econômica (Karl Polanyi and the 'Great Debate' Between the Substantivists and Formalists in Economic Anthropology)

Machado, Nuno Miguel Cardoso (2012), “Karl Polanyi e o ‘Grande Debate’ entre substantivistas e formalistas na antropologia econômica”, in Economia e Sociedade, Vol. 21, No. 1 (44), pp. 165-195

31 Pages Posted: 10 Aug 2013

See all articles by Nuno Machado

Nuno Machado

Technical University of Lisbon (UTL) - School of Economics and Management

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

Na raiz do pensamento Polanyiano, encontra-se a distinção entre economia no sentido substantivo e economia no sentido formal. Com efeito, a concepção substantivista que define a economia como um processo instituído de interação entre o homem e o ambiente natural e social que o rodeia e resulta em contínua oferta de meios para satisfazer as necessidades humanas constitui a base do método preconizado pelo autor: a análise institucional. Com tal distinção, Polanyi (1977a) pretende evitar a "falácia economicista" que consiste na identificação automática da economia com sua forma de mercado. Ao contrário, só na moderna economia capitalista é que um "sistema de mercados formadores de preços" desempenha papel fundamental. Essas questões foram alvo de um "Grande Debate" entre as correntes substantivista – encabeçada por Polanyi – e formalista no contexto da disciplina da Antropologia Econômica.

At the root of Polanyian thought, a distintiction can be found between the substantive and formal concepts of the economy. In fact, the substantivist conception, that defines the economy as an instituted process of interaction between man and its natural and social environment, which results in a continuous supply of material means to meet human needs, constitutes the basis of the method recomended by the author: institutional analysis. With this distinction, Polanyi intends to avoid the "economistic fallacy", which consists of the automatic identification of the economy in its market form. Only in the modern capitalist economy does a system of "price-making markets" play a fundamental role. These questions were amply discussed in the so-called "Great Debate" between the substantivist and formalist schools of thought in the discipline of Economic Anthropology.

Note: Downloadable document is in Portuguese.

Keywords: Karl Polanyi, Substantivism, Formalism, Institutional Analysis, Economy, Market

JEL Classification: A12, A13, B15, P10, P51

Suggested Citation

Machado, Nuno, Karl Polanyi E O ‘Grande Debate’ Entre Substantivistas E Formalistas Na Antropologia Econômica (Karl Polanyi and the 'Great Debate' Between the Substantivists and Formalists in Economic Anthropology) (2012). Machado, Nuno Miguel Cardoso (2012), “Karl Polanyi e o ‘Grande Debate’ entre substantivistas e formalistas na antropologia econômica”, in Economia e Sociedade, Vol. 21, No. 1 (44), pp. 165-195, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2307199

Nuno Machado (Contact Author)

Technical University of Lisbon (UTL) - School of Economics and Management ( email )

Rua Miguel Lupi, 20
Lisbon
Portugal

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