commodifying

Commodifying, or commodify, is the process of turning something into a commodity—a good or service that can be bought, sold, and exchanged in a market. It involves attributing market value, standardization, mass production, branding, and integration into supply chains. The term originates from commodity and has been used in economics, sociology, and cultural studies to describe the spread of market logic into diverse spheres, including goods, labor, information, and social relations.

Common domains include natural resources, housing, healthcare, education, and cultural products. In the digital age, data, attention, and influence are often treated as commodities, with platforms monetizing user activity. Commodification can arise through privatization, outsourcing, property regimes, and the expansion of market-based pricing and contracts, sometimes accompanying neoliberal reforms.

Arguments in favor emphasize efficient allocation, incentives for innovation, and broader access through market mechanisms. Critics warn that commodification can erode intrinsic or communal value, reshape social relations, and exacerbate inequality by privileging those with purchasing power. Public goods and essential services may be depersonalized or instrumentally valued; labor and vulnerability may be commodified, leading to exploitation. Debates include decommodification, the commons, and the role of state or community provisioning, ethical consumerism, and regulation to protect rights and equity.

Related concepts include commoditization as the act of making something a commodity, and the broader critique of marketization in political economy. The study of commodification spans economics, sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies, addressing both practical economies and questions of value beyond price.