Politics, the state and the impulse for social protection : the implications of Karl Polanyi's ideas for understanding development and crisis

This short paper discusses how some of Karl Polanyi's key ideas can help shed light on the processes of development and crisis in the world today. It begins by taking up the role of economic liberalisation and the state. Then it discusses Polanyi's identification of the 'impulse' for 'social protection' and suggests it is crucial to an understanding not only of the role of the state in development but also politics in the developing world. It finishes by applying some of these ideas to understanding the actions of 11th September, and the crisis related to terrorism in the developing world today.