Polanyi attributed pro-Soviet sentiment to the opacity of markets

Evidence

Despite its abysmal record, the genuine support of the population puzzled Polanyi, who spotted in the Soviet propaganda’s displays of “public emotion” a “vivid form of social consciousness” which provided clear purpose and direction to the citizens. At the core of the desire for social revolution in Western societies, he concluded, brewed a frustration with the opacity of the market system, a lack of a refined grasp of its concealed mechanisms. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 69

Categorization

• XREF: Resonates with the Mirowski tradition arguing markets are ‘black boxes’ and with ‘Complaints About Immodesty’ style analysis of political projection; also contrasts Michael with Karl Polanyi’s market-embeddedness thesis. — connects to: Michael Polanyi formed his liberal social theory partly from direct Soviet observation — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 377; Polanyi’s ‘spontaneous order’ concept originated in attacks on Soviet science policy — Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free…, 279

Broader Connections

• Michael Polanyi formed his liberal social theory partly from direct Soviet observation #expands (0.85) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 377
• Polanyi’s ‘spontaneous order’ concept originated in attacks on Soviet science policy #expands (0.80) — Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion, 279