This article discusses the relation between social theory and economic sociology based on two theses. In the first part I argue that social change in capitalist societies has its starting point primarily in the dynamics of the economy. Consequently, the economic system predominates in explanations of societal development. At the same time the economic logic is confronted by political and social resistance that prevents social order from being subsumed by economic imperatives. I argue from a conflict-theoretical perspective that the actual organization of the capitalist economy can only be understood based on social and political conflicts over its institutional form. In the second part I discuss the consequences of this conceptualization of social dynamics for economic sociology. I argue that economic sociology is not limited to showing the social contextualization of economic action as such, but needs to demonstrate a systematic connection between the embeddedness of economic action and historical developments. The specific forms which embeddedness might take are explained on the basis of conflicts observed in the economic sphere.
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Publicly AvailableWirtschaftssoziologie als Gesellschaftstheorie / Economic Sociology as Theory of SocietyMay 19, 2016
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Publicly AvailableMobilisierung und kriegsgesellschaftliches Dilemma / Mobilization and the Dilemma of Wartime SocietyMay 19, 2016
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