Great urban transformations. Exploring ‘offensive countermovements’ in Polanyi’s instituted economy

Abstract

The work of Karl Polanyi and, in particular, his signature concepts of disembeddedness and the double movement frequently inform the assessment of complex socio-economic dynamics in modern societies. Notwithstanding the unquestionable value of accounts that, inspired by the double movement, investigate the back-and-forth between market expansion and social protection, the potential of what has been called ‘offensive countermovements’, aspiring to novel institutionalizations beyond mere defence, remains underexplored. In this paper, I attempt to counteract the prevalence of Polanyian analyses that tend to overemphasize society’s inclination for preservation of the status quo and neglect the more transformational changes sought by offensive countermovements. Addressing this imbalance, I propose an expanded conception of offensive countermovements and argue that we may beneficially readjust the analytical lens by combining insights from Polanyian substantivism with the dynamics of the double movement. As a result, redistribution and reciprocity may come to the fore as equally salient forces of change alongside the market mechanism. I demonstrate the framework’s potential by analyzing instances of urban change and conflict that are driven by climate change. In this regard, I point to the profound institutional changes pursued by offensive countermovements that promote car-free cities, city empowerment, and an enhanced role for cities in international climate governance.

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