--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first and probably most fundamental…" description: "\"The first and probably most fundamental aspect of this crisis is that we are now close to the commodification of everything. That is, historical capita..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_accumulation_the-first-and-probably-most-fundamental_2299528.jpg" --- # The first and probably most fundamental aspect of this… ![“The first and probably most fundamental aspect of this crisis is that we are now close to the commodification of everything. That is, historical capitalism is in crisis precisely because, in pursuing the endless accumulation of capital, it is beginning to approximate that state of being Adam Smith…” quote by Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_accumulation_the-first-and-probably-most-fundamental_2299528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_accumulation_the-first-and-probably-most-fundamental_2299528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_accumulation_the-first-and-probably-most-fundamental_2299528.jpg) > “The first and probably most fundamental aspect of this crisis is that we are now close to the commodification of everything. That is, historical capitalism is in crisis precisely because, in pursuing the endless accumulation of capital, it is beginning to approximate that state of being Adam Smith asserted was 'natural' to man but which has never historically existed. The 'propensity \[of humanity\] to truck, barter, and exchange one thing for another' has entered into domains and zones previously untouched, and the pressure to expand commodification is relatively unchecked.” [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capitalism now tries to turn everything into a market commodity, extending beyond traditional economic realms, leading to unchecked expansion and crisis. **In simple terms:** Everything is being turned into a market product, causing crisis. Key Takeaway Question the limits of commodification. Themes capitalism commodification crisis globalization Mood critical concerned Type economic philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - environmental regulation - consumer culture - technology markets Key Concepts economic theory social impact Questions to Reflect On - What are the consequences of commodifying human relationships? - How can societies protect non‑market values? A Different Perspective Not all aspects of life should be market-driven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accumulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accumulation/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Commodification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commodification/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Domain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domain/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) ## Related quotes > [What distinguishes the historical social system we are calling historical capitalism is that in this historical system capital came to be used (invested) in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/what-distinguishes-the-historical-social-system-we-are-calling/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It was the French Revolution that served as the catalyst of this renovation. Its impact was to make the concept of popular sovereignty the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-was-the-french-revolution-that-served-as-the-catalyst-of-this/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It is, let me say, at the very least by no means self-evident that there is more liberty, equality, and fraternity in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-is-let-me-say-at-the-very-least-by-no-means-self-evident-that/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It seems to me the only pertinent question is: cui bono? It is clear that the size of the privileged strata as a percentage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-seems-to-me-the-only-pertinent-question-is-cui-bono-it-is-clear/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [I am suggesting that there is, and always has been, a rather high correlation between ethnicity and occupation/economic role throughout the various time-space zones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/i-am-suggesting-that-there-is-and-always-has-been-a-rather-high/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Historical capitalism is a materialist civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/historical-capitalism-is-a-materialist-civilization/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It is this third consequence that has been elaborated in greatest detail and has formed one of the most significant pillars of historical capitalism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-is-this-third-consequence-that-has-been-elaborated-in-greatest/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It is not surprising that liberals believed in progress. The idea of progress justified the entire transition from feudalism to capitalism. It legitimated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-is-not-surprising-that-liberals-believed-in-progress-the-idea-of/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [That is why we may say that the historical development of capitalism has involved the thrust towards the commodification of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/that-is-why-we-may-say-that-the-historical-development-of-capitalism/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [We are often told that capitalism is in crisis, but look around the world and you'll see that it has never been so buoyant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwasi-kwarteng/we-are-often-told-that-capitalism-is-in-crisis-but-look-around-the/) [Kwasi Kwarteng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwasi-kwarteng/) > [Capitalism is in crisis both morally, due to widening disparities of income and wealth and disclosures of abusive practices, and ecologically, due to its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/capitalism-is-in-crisis-both-morally-due-to-widening-disparities-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Capitalism is in crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/capitalism-is-in-crisis/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [Everything is now for sale. Even those areas of life that we once considered sacred like health and education, food and water and air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-barlow/everything-is-now-for-sale-even-those-areas-of-life-that-we-once/) [Maude Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-barlow/) > [We live in a predatory capitalist society in which everything is for sale. Everybody is for sale, so there is ubiquitous commodification - be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/we-live-in-a-predatory-capitalist-society-in-which-everything-is-for/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The role of globalization is to homogenize all cultures, and to turn them into commodified markets, and therefore, to make them easier for global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-mander/the-role-of-globalization-is-to-homogenize-all-cultures-and-to-turn/) [Jerry Mander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-mander/) ## More by Immanuel Wallerstein > [“La science sociale di XIXe siecle nous a legue un terrible heritage, l'idee que els processus se divisent en trois champs separes: le politique,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/la-science-sociale-di-xixe-siecle-nous-a-legue-un-terrible-heritage-l/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Uncertainty is wondrous, and.. certainty, were it to be real, would be moral death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/uncertainty-is-wondrous-and-certainty-were-it-to-be-real-would-be/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [A second variety concentrated on presumed major transformations of the capitalist system as of some recent point in time, in which the whole earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/a-second-variety-concentrated-on-presumed-major-transformations-of/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [I am suggesting that there is, and always has been, a rather high correlation between ethnicity and occupation/economic role throughout the various time-space zones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/i-am-suggesting-that-there-is-and-always-has-been-a-rather-high/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [The concept that one ought to restrict one's political involvement to one's own state was deeply antithetical to those who were pursuing the accumulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/the-concept-that-one-ought-to-restrict-one-s-political-involvement-to/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [One by one, these governments came undone, and were forced into IMF tutelage (and national illegitimacy) by the careening oil prices, the debt imbroglio,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/one-by-one-these-governments-came-undone-and-were-forced-into-imf/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [The language of intrinsic human rights represented a significant advance beyond the previous language of world religions in terms of its universal applicability and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/the-language-of-intrinsic-human-rights-represented-a-significant/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Wars between states and people seem to have existed under all historical systems for as long as we have some recorded evidence. War is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/wars-between-states-and-people-seem-to-have-existed-under-all/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Production for sale in a market in which the object is to realize the maximum profit is the essential feature of a capitalist world-economy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/production-for-sale-in-a-market-in-which-the-object-is-to-realize-the/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [We seem to be in the midst of a process of cascading bifurcations that may last some 50 more years. We can be sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/we-seem-to-be-in-the-midst-of-a-process-of-cascading-bifurcations/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Scientific culture created a framework within which individual mobility was possible without threatening hierarchical work-force allocation. On the contrary, meritocracy reinforced hierarchy. Finally, meritocracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/scientific-culture-created-a-framework-within-which-individual/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [It is not surprising that liberals believed in progress. The idea of progress justified the entire transition from feudalism to capitalism. It legitimated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/it-is-not-surprising-that-liberals-believed-in-progress-the-idea-of/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [The very concept of universal formal education is a product (and a relatively late product) of the capitalist world-economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/the-very-concept-of-universal-formal-education-is-a-product-and-a/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [What is different in capitalist civilization has been two things. First, the process of meritocracy has been proclaimed as an official virtue instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/what-is-different-in-capitalist-civilization-has-been-two-things/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) > [Finally, states have monopolized, or sought to monopolize, armed force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/finally-states-have-monopolized-or-sought-to-monopolize-armed-force/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) [Explore all 60 Immanuel Wallerstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) ## More Accumulation quotes > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I think that only daring speculation can lead us further and not accumulation of facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-think-that-only-daring-speculation-can-lead-us-further-and-not/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [There has been, for some reason (or more likely an unfortunate accumulation of reasons) a trend over the past several decades for parents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/there-has-been-for-some-reason-or-more-likely-an-unfortunate/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [Ageing is, simply and clearly, the accumulation of damage in the body. That's all that ageing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/ageing-is-simply-and-clearly-the-accumulation-of-damage-in-the-body/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [For me, personally, there is one really interesting thing. You're all a bit too young for that, but when you get to a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/for-me-personally-there-is-one-really-interesting-thing-you-re-all-a/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [The mounting burden of taxation not only undermines individual incentives to increased work and earnings, but in a score of ways discourages capital accumulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/the-mounting-burden-of-taxation-not-only-undermines-individual/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [When the accumulation of wealth is no longer of high social importance, there will be great changes in the code of morals. We shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/when-the-accumulation-of-wealth-is-no-longer-of-high-social/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-alexander-eastman/the-native-american-has-been-generally-despised-by-his-white/) [Charles Alexander Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-alexander-eastman/) > [The soul lives forever by giving, not receiving. This is the grand paradox. You get most by giving most. Conversely, by receiving much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/the-soul-lives-forever-by-giving-not-receiving-this-is-the-grand/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Forgiveness of the present is even more important than forgiveness of the past. If you forgive every moment - allow it to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/forgiveness-of-the-present-is-even-more-important-than-forgiveness-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/too-much-and-too-long-we-seem-to-have-surrendered-community/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) [Browse all 412 Accumulation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accumulation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first and probably most fundamental aspect of this crisis is that we are now close to the commodification of everything. 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