David Thorns questions whether or not the current changes in capitalist societies are forces of fragmentation. Through a comparative historical analysis of Australia, New Zealand and Britain, he examines the restructuring of the workforce, the shift towards more flexible work practices, the rise in unemployment, the growth of individualism, the diversification of regions and localities, and the creation of new versions of the New International Division of Labor thesis.Thorns argues for an analytical approach based on the distinct experiences of localities, regions and nation states. He provides detailed empirical data covering such topics as economic trends, employment patterns, regional diversity, state sector restructuring, consumption, home ownership, as well as local resistance to change.
Author(s): David C. Thorns
Edition: 1
Year: 1992
Language: English
Pages: 336
BOOK COVER......Page 1
HALF-TITLE......Page 2
TITLE......Page 4
COPYRIGHT......Page 5
CONTENTS......Page 6
FIGURES AND TABLES......Page 8
PREFACE......Page 11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 13
FRAMEWORKS FOR STUDY AND LINKS BETWEEN THE THREE COUNTRIES......Page 14
CLASS STRUCTURES......Page 19
LAND AND PROPERTY......Page 20
RELATIONS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE......Page 22
STATE STRUCTURES......Page 27
EXTERNAL VERSUS INTERNAL EXPLANATIONS......Page 28
ORGANISATION OF THE BOOK......Page 29
2 THE NEW INTERNATIONAL DIVISION OF LABOUR......Page 32
NEW INTERNATIONAL DIVISION OF LABOUR (NIDL)......Page 37
ROLE OF MIGRATION......Page 44
Australia......Page 47
New Zealand......Page 50
Britain......Page 53
CRITIQUE AND EVALUATION......Page 56
LOCALITY-BASED APPROACHES......Page 60
TOWARDS A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK......Page 63
SUMMARY......Page 68
3 ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT CHANGES......Page 69
DEINDUSTRIALISATION OR RESTRUCTURING......Page 73
GENERAL TRENDS......Page 74
CHANGING OCCUPATIONAL AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE......Page 81
GENDER VARIATIONS IN OCCUPATIONAL CHANGE......Page 90
Britain......Page 91
New Zealand......Page 95
Australia......Page 97
ETHNICITY......Page 99
Australia......Page 100
Britain......Page 102
New Zealand......Page 104
SUMMARY......Page 109
4 THE NATION STATE......Page 110
THEORETICAL DEBATE......Page 112
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW ZEALAND STATE......Page 119
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN STATE......Page 124
THE BRITISH STATE SINCE THE 1950S......Page 129
TRENDS AND THEMES......Page 134
SUMMARY......Page 143
5 REGIONS AND BARGAINING POWER......Page 145
THE RISE OF REGIONAL POLICY......Page 146
United Kingdom......Page 151
West Midlands......Page 153
The North-west......Page 155
Teesside......Page 156
NEW ZEALAND REGIONAL CHANGES......Page 160
Regional unemployment rates......Page 171
AUSTRALIA—REGIONAL EXAMPLES OF CHANGE......Page 177
South Australia......Page 179
Queensland tourism urbanisation......Page 182
SUMMARY......Page 185
6 RESTRUCTURING OF STATE PROVISIONS......Page 187
CASE STUDY 1: CENTRAL-LOCAL CONTROL, BRITAIN’S DEBATE OVER LOCAL AUTHORITY ACTIVITY......Page 188
The selling of public housing......Page 191
Enterprise zones and urban development corporations......Page 195
CASE STUDY 2: NEW ZEALAND CASE STUDIES: HEALTH, MAORI AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION REFORM......Page 198
Health changes......Page 200
Maori affairs......Page 201
Education reform......Page 202
CASE STUDY 3: AUSTRALIA—PRIVATISATION OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR......Page 208
Public housing sales......Page 209
Privatisation......Page 210
Education......Page 211
SUMMARY......Page 212
7 HOME OWNERSHIP AND CONSUMPTION SECTORS......Page 214
Capital appreciation: does it exist, is it inevitable?......Page 223
Patterns of affordability......Page 228
Regional variation......Page 230
Intra-urban variations......Page 237
Wealth inheritance......Page 242
IMPACT OF ETHNICITY AND GENDER ON HOME OWNERSHIP AND WEALTH ACCUMULATION......Page 243
POLITICAL IMPACT OF HOME OWNERSHIP: HOW FAR IS IT A BASIS FOR LOCAL ACTION?......Page 248
SUMMARY......Page 250
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LOCALITY......Page 252
ALTERNATIVE BASES FOR LOCAL SOCIAL ORGANISATION......Page 255
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL CONSCIOUSNESS......Page 259
Urban freeway struggles......Page 263
Environmental struggles......Page 264
Ethnic struggles......Page 267
Rent strikes......Page 270
RESTRUCTURING OF LOCAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES......Page 272
SUMMARY......Page 276
9 REASSESSMENT OF DEBATE AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE......Page 278
PROSPECTS......Page 286
Treaty of Waitangi: English version......Page 289
Treaty of Waitangi: English translation of Maori version (by Professor Kawharu)......Page 291
NOTES......Page 293
BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 298
NAME INDEX......Page 319
SUBJECT INDEX......Page 323
