Exposing the dark to light: the Christian response to the commodification of labor, land, and money
Over the summer, Netflix released a film entitled Fly Me to the Moon. The story is set against the backdrop of the Space Race, the Apollo 11 mission, and the task given to fictitious marketing expert Kelly Jones to create a fake moon landing in case the mission failed. I do not want to spend much time on the storyline, but I want to highlight a quote from the film that felt relevant to this week’s readings. When discussing the government order to create a fake moon landing, agent Moe Berkus says to Jones, “This is not a space race, but a battle for which ideology gets to run this country.”[1] Much like the backdrop of Netflix’s previously mentioned period comedy, set in an era plagued by war and competition between rival countries, Karl Polanyi delivers The Great Transformation, a book of economic history and political economy. Ultimately, Polanyi’s work concerns the dominant economic ideology battling to run the world.
Published in 1944, Polanyi’s work concentrates on the development of the market economy in the 19th century.[2] Joseph Stiglitz writes concerning Polanyi, “Among his central theses are the ideas that self-regulating markets never work; their deficiencies, not only in their internal workings but also in their consequences (e.g., for the poor), are so great that government intervention becomes necessary.”[3] Essentially, a fully self-regulating market does not exist. Markets are influenced by various factors, including government policies, regulations, social dynamics, and economic power imbalances, which prevent them from being genuinely self-regulating. Thus, Polanyi argues that the market and society are inherently linked and cannot be disembedded from each other. However, when actors attempt to free the market from society, social instability occurs, activating a double movement to bring the economy back in line with social needs.
Polanyi presents many complex ideas that are outside the scope of this post. However, I will focus on Polanyi’s concern regarding the fictitious commodities of labor, land, and money, considering Jason Clark’s Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnoses of Pathogeneses in the Relationship and how Evangelicals respond to the forces at work within the development of Capitalism in terms of co-creation, co-option, and resistance.[4]
The twenty-first-century Western Evangelical must grapple with the reality of the abuse of Polanyi’s fictitious commodities—labor, land, and money. Clark writes, “Polanyi views the formation of capitalist markets as a process in which Christian understandings of human relationships and responsibilities towards each other are replaced with the ‘secular religion’ of the market.”[5] This is evidenced in the attempt to create a disembedded, fully self-regulated economy. Stiglitz writes, “…creating a fully self-regulating market economy requires that human beings and the natural environment be turned into pure commodities[6], which assures the destruction of both society and the natural environment.”[7] History bears witness to this reality.
An example of the destruction of society and the natural environment is the Russell Lee Power and Light exhibition at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. This exhibit reveals the horrific housing, medical, and community facilities of America’s bituminous coal mining communities. The survey was conducted by Navy personnel in 1946 as part of a strike-ending agreement negotiated between the Department of the Interior and the United Mine Workers of America.[8] Without going into more detail, this exhibit affirms Polanyi’s concerns regarding the self-regulated market economy and its commodification of people and the environment. Labor and land were exploited for the sake of free markets. The Power and Light exhibit example further supports Polanyi’s double movement theory, as government intervention was required to bring the economy back in line with social needs.
Since the beginnings of the market economy, the West has perpetrated innumerable abuses (e.g., labor, land, and money). However, the self-regulating market ideology, which enables the exploitation of fictitious commodities, remains at the heart of Western economic policy. Clark writes, “In this, perhaps, we see the ontological belief that it is the market that will ‘save us,’’ and not the addressing of the failings of human nature in relationship to goods and markets, the latter of which should be the primary concern of the Christian.” [9]
Today, we are witnessing a battle for which ideology gets to run things, the “secular religion” of the market. As a Christian, I often find it overwhelming to think of the harm caused by the failings of human nature in relationships to goods and markets. Nearly everything in modern society, even seemingly harmless products like coffee and chocolate, hides a dark history of commodification of labor, land, and money. Sadly, I often feel powerless to make any real impact. However, as I pondered the Evangelical response in considering Polanyi and Clark’s texts, I was reminded of Ephesians 5:12-16 (NIV), “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible –and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful, then, how you live – not as the unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” As Christians, professionals, and doctoral students, we are working to expose the darkness to light. God has given each of us unique gifts and positions to bring awareness and “wake the sleeper from the dead.” Let this be our encouragement to persevere as we work to expose darkness and see redeemed human relationships between God, goods, and markets.
[1] Savannah Walsh, “Fly Me to the Moon: How a Stanley Kubrick Conspiracy Theory Inspired the Film,” Vanity Fair, July 12, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/fly-me-to-the-moon-true-story-stanley-kubrick-conspiracy-theory.
[2] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Karl Polanyi.” Encyclopedia Britannica, April 19, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Karl-Polanyi.
[3] Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1957), Kindle Edition.
[4] Jason Clark, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship,” Faculty Publications – Portland Seminary. 132, 2018), 122. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes/.
[5] Clark, 125.
[6] See Polanyi, The Great Transformation, Land, labor, and money are fictitious commodities because they were not originally produced to be sold on a market. Labor is simply the activity of human beings, land is subdivided nature, and the supply of money and credit in modern societies is necessarily shaped by governmental policies. Modern economics starts by pretending that these fictitious commodities will behave in the same way as real commodities, but Polanyi insists that this sleight of hand has fatal consequences. It means that economic theorizing is based on a lie, and this lie places human society at risk.
[7] Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation, Kindle Edition.
[8] National Archives, “Power & Light: Russell Lee’s Coal Survey,” https://visit.archives.gov/whats-on/explore-exhibits/power-light-russell-lees-coal-survey.
[9] Clark, 147.
About the Author
Elysse Burns
19 responses to “Exposing the dark to light: the Christian response to the commodification of labor, land, and money”
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Elysse there is a youtube video about the banana industry that shares the dark secrets behind the industry and how the US has been involved.
Thanks for bringing the Coal Miner exhibit into this discussion. I also have considered how and when the government involves itself in labor disputes and whether it is right. For example, the government has the ability to prevent railroad workers from striking which they did in recent history both in the US and Canada. Recently we had the East Coast Dock Workers go on strike and the government did not intervene. Fortunately, it was short lived. I wonder if workers in some of these fields where they cannot strike or the government can intervene feel more like a commodity than other workers.
If you were writing policy on when/how the government could get involved in labor disputes what are factors you would use in making those decisions?
Hi Jeff, thank you for your comment. What is the name of that YouTube video you mentioned? I would like to watch it.
Oh wow. What would I do if I were writing policy? When would I intervene? I remember taking a policy analysis class in my master’s program, and much of policy was centered around cost-benefit and utility. I remember focusing on the policy change concerning the severe drought in California, my home state. What a disaster! If I were in government, I would prioritize ethics and human dignity. Well, this is where I would start. If there was an egregious abuse of human dignity, I believe it best to intervene.
I loved the Polanyi quote, “As long as he is true to his task of creating more abundant freedom for all, he need not fear that either power or planning will turn against him and destroy the freedom he is building by their instrumentality. This is the meaning of freedom in a complex society; it gives us all the certainty that we need.” This is also something I would consider in government intervention. What freedoms are being violated? What can foster freedom?
I realize these are all simple answers to your question, but I hope you can see where my thoughts are heading.
It’s a Ted Talk
The Dark History of Bananas
https://www.ted.com/talks/john_soluri_the_dark_history_of_bananas?subtitle=en
Elysse, I appreciate your comment, “As a Christian, I often find it overwhelming to think of the harm caused by the failings of human nature in relationships to goods and markets.” Living in Africa, you daily see the effects of these failings from colonial times. What are practical ways that you reconcile this as you “expose the darkness”?
Hi Kari, thanks for your comment and question. Something we both knew but was recently affirmed in is our neighbors’ fatalistic mentality. I believe this has come from years of abuse from the outside and also the inside. Now, I ask myself, “What are practical ways to instill hope?” A practical way to reconcile this reality is to reinforce my sense of worth and hope. This is done through scripture reading, prayer, journaling, and counseling. When I have a strong sense of worth and hope, I can pass this hope on to people in conversations and interactions. Going back to the question, “How do I instill hope?” I would like to think of more intentional, practical ways of broaching this subject with my local friends.
Hi Elysse,
Thank you for your post.
To what extent, do you think the concept of a self-regulating market challenge contemporary Christian understandings of human relationships and responsibilities?
Hi Shela, this week’s reading reminded me that there are no perfect systems because we are sinful, imperfect people. All of creation reflects this reality. As Christians, we must remind ourselves that the self-regulating market is an imperfect economic ideology. We cannot entirely depend on it to save us or humanity. Eventually, something will be negatively affected by the pride, negligence, and abuse found in the self-regulating market. As Christians, we must always put human life and relationships at the forefront of our decisions.
Elysse – Can’t believe I missed the coal-miner exhibit! But I appreciate you connecting it to appropriate use of government to protect society. Sometimes I feel powerless, too. And I still drink coffee and eat chocolate – and it is not always ‘fair trade.’ Do you have any suggestions for how to balance guilt and apathy? How can my concerns be usefully deployed?
Hi Julie, I feel your pain! There seems to be too much to keep up with, and I don’t have the time to “care” about whether coffee or chocolate is free trade. However, after reading this week’s material, I was reminded how important it is for companies to be accountable for their actions. I was thinking of practical ways to do this. This month, I will choose one or two commodities I love (coffee and chocolate) and put more effort into following companies that implement best practices regarding people and product quality. It’s a way to start small, but it is something doable, and perhaps I can grow from that. If the company does not share common values, I will no longer buy from them.
All that to say, I think starting small helps prevent being too overwhelmed and then defaulting to apathy.
Hi Elysse, The coal miner exhibit at the National Archives gave me a long pause. I had forgotten that the miners were really beholden to the owners of the mines. Not only did they provide for their livelihood, they owned the houses the miners’ families lived in and the company store where their provisions were bought. Talk about a perverse paternalism. Thank you for bringing if forth in relation to Polanyi’s book. The government interventions were necessary in that instance. Can you think of any other areas where the government may have played a role in righting a wrong with workers?
Hi Diane, thank you for your comment and question. I can’t think specifically of government intervention in business malpractice, but something that comes to mind is government intervention in California when we were experiencing severe droughts. California residents were encouraged to convert grass lawns with water-wise plants, and we received rebates if we did. This period challenged how Californians viewed and used water. It also revealed how big businesses owned water, like land rights. There’s an excellent documentary called Water & Power: A California Heist. This shows how water was being abused in the state. I haven’t followed up on this for a while, but it’s a good reminder to revisit water use in California.
Elysee thank you for this. I know you are in Africa and there is a consistent fight over goods and commodities. As you have the experience of both America and Africa, how can we better self regulate to avoid the exploration that we so frequently see, particularly in the continent of Africa?
Hi Daren, Interestingly enough, I live in a country that doesn’t export commodities. If they do, I am not aware. However, many countries do export commodities like coffee beans. I want to be more intentional about making sure the company follows best practices concerning people and the quality of the product. It’s easy to forget this because we are so distant from it. Even when we are on the same continent!
Another thought that comes to mind, is the accountability of international non-profits and humanitarian organizations that operate worldwide. We often see advertising from these organizations portraying desperate children and communities. Now, I may be cynical, but the funds rarely reach these poor communities. I encourage people to not just give to any international non-profit or humanitarian organization but to connect with people in the organizations and visit countries where they operate. It’s good to see what is really happening and to speak with locals!
Thanks for this thorough article Elysse. I’m wondering, on a practical level, what steps can Western Evangelicals take to address the commodification of labor, land, and money in our everyday lives? How do we challenge these human resources and promote social justice?
Hi Debbie, thank you for your comment and question. Something practical we can do is to pick one or two things we love (for me, it’s chocolate and coffee) and take intentional time to research if the company is following best practices concerning people and the quality of the product. I want to believe there are companies out there that are ethical in their practices. However, if the company abuses labor, land, and money, I will stop buying from that company and encourage others to do the same. I believe there is still a lot of power in word of mouth. Perhaps a forum exists or can be created concerning the dark and bright sides of commodities we use daily?
I believe it is crucial to start with things we are passionate about and on a doable level. This will look different for everyone. The important thing is to remain active in ways unique to our context.
Hi Elysse, great post!
What you said about coffee and chocolate is so true. I can sometimes get overwhelmed about things like this. Many things we purchase have dark secrets behind them. Do you have any advice for pushing back on these bad practices but also not being overwhelmed or paralyzed?
Hi Christy, I have been challenging myself with this question. What can I do? I believe it is crucial to start with things you are passionate about (for me, it is coffee and chocolate) and make doable goals. For example, this week, I want to research the chocolate and coffee companies I generally buy from. If the company does not follow best practices concerning people and quality, I will stop buying this product and encourage others to do the same. I believe there is still a lot of power in word of mouth. I might email the company if it does not provide information concerning its practices. These are all small but doable things we can do to ensure we are doing our part. And perhaps, in this process, our efforts might grow? I think the most important thing, is to remain active in our specific context and encourage others to do the same.
Hi, Elysse, thank you for your post. I totally with your comment on how Evangelicals (our churches and leadership) are having problems dealing or abusing these fictitious commodities. And thank you for the exhortation ‘to wake-up’ or ‘be awake’ as Christians, moreover Christian leadership.
This problem is widespread in our Micronesian Churches in the Islands as well as those in this Pacific Northwestern part of the United States. Thanks again for your posts.
Thank you for your kind words, Noel. How does this widespread problem manifest itself in Micronesian churches? I am curious to hear your perspective.