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The slow advance and uneven penetration of commodification

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  • Colin C. Williams
  • Jan Windebank

Abstract

A common assumption is that commodification – the process by which goods and services are increasingly produced by capitalist firms for a profit under conditions of market exchange – is colonizing, albeit slowly and unevenly, ever more areas of daily life. Yet little evidence has been supplied to show either the extent or unevenness of this penetration. Here, therefore, we first draw upon secondary data to evaluate the degree to which the advanced economies have been permeated by commodification. This identifies large spaces of non‐exchanged work, non‐monetized exchange and non‐profit‐motivated monetary exchange. To both explain the existence of these spaces as well as the uneven penetration of commodification, we then report case study evidence from the sphere of domestic services in UK urban areas. This displays that although domestic services are slightly more commodified amongst higher‐income populations, the uneven contours of commodification cannot be explained simply in terms of whether populations can afford to use formal service provision. While economic constraints do prevent the advance of commodification, especially in lower‐income populations, strong ‘cultures of resistance’ are also uncovered that impede its deeper penetration. To conclude, therefore, the contrasting roles played by economic and cultural constraints in slowing the advance of commodification and creating its uneven contours are explored. On suppose généralement que la marchandisation – processus par lesquels biens et services sont produits de plus en plus par des entreprises capitalistes à but lucratif aux conditions du marché– gagne des domaines toujours plus nombreux de la vie quotidienne, quoique de manière lente et inégale. Pourtant, il existe peu de preuves de l'ampleur ou de l'irrégularité de cette pénétration. En conséquence, l'article se base d'abord sur des données indirectes pour évaluer la mesure dans laquelle la marchandisation s'est infiltrée dans les économies avancées. Il identifie ainsi de vastes espaces de travail sans compensation, d'échanges non‐monétisés et de transactions financières sans but lucratif. Pour expliquer à la fois l'existence de ces espaces et la pénétration inégale de la marchandisation, l'article intègre une étude de cas probante, émanant du domaine des services aux particuliers dans des zones urbaines du Royaume‐Uni. Celle‐ci montre que, bien que ces services soient légèrement plus marchands dans les populations à haut revenu, le profil irrégulier de la marchandisation ne peut s'expliquer uniquement en fonction des moyens permettant ou non de recourir à une fourniture de services conventionnelle. Les contraintes économiques empächent assurément l'extension de la marchandisation, notamment dans les populations à faible revenu, mais on découvre également de fortes ‘cultures de résistance’ gänant une avancée plus profonde. La conclusion examine les rôles opposés que jouent les contraintes économiques et culturelles dans le ralentissement des progrès de la marchandisation et dans l'irrégularité de son profil.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin C. Williams & Jan Windebank, 2003. "The slow advance and uneven penetration of commodification," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 250-264, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:27:y:2003:i:2:p:250-264
    DOI: 10.1111/1468-2427.00446
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gershuny, Jonathan, 2000. "Changing Times: Work and Leisure in Postindustrial Society," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198287872.
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    Cited by:

    1. McDonald, David A., 2016. "To corporatize or not to corporatize (and if so, how?)," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 107-114.
    2. Irene Sotiropoulou, 2012. "Women in Alternative Economy or, what Do Women Do Without Official Currency?," Working Papers 1207, University of Crete, Department of Economics.
    3. Colin C. Williams & Abbi Kedir & Meryem Fethi & Sara Nadin, 2012. "Evaluating 'Varieties of Capitalism' by the Extent and Nature of the Informal Economy: The Case of South-Eastern Europe," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 10(2), pages 113-130.
    4. Colin C. Williams & John Round, 2008. "Evaluating the Penetration of Capitalism in Postsocialist Moscow," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 359-379, April.
    5. Irene Sotiropoulou, 2012. "Marketing a Vintage Carpet in a Free Bazaar and Other Stories On/Off Value," Working Papers 1206, University of Crete, Department of Economics.
    6. Colin C. Williams & Friedrich Schneider, 2016. "Measuring the Global Shadow Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16551.

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