Suchergebnisse

The last few years have seen a major debate on the scale, extent, and causes of social polarisation in global cities and in Western societies in general. But the debate has often been characterised more by theoretical assertion than by empirical analysis. In particular, the concept of social polarisation has often been confused with inequality. The authors use General Household Survey data and New Earnings Survey data from 1979 to 1995 to examine the existence and extent of polarisation in London. It is argued that the evidence for polarisation is relatively weak, and that to the extent that polarisation exists it is asymmetric, with much greater growth in the size of groups at the top of the earnings distribution than at the bottom. But it is also argued that both London and Great Britain as a whole have seen a marked increase in earnings inequality over the last twenty-five years. Although most groups have improved earnings in real terms, the increase has been much greater at the top end of the earnings scale. As a result, the interquartile and interdecile earnings ratios have risen sharply. It is concluded that London has seen an increase in earnings inequality rather than growth of social polarisation.

THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES AN ASSESSMENT OF PRIVATIZATION IN THE US, UK AND FRANCE. THE AUTHORS FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON THE AGENDA SETTING PROCESSES BY WHICH PRIVATIZATION BEGAN TO APPEAL SO STRONGLY TO POLITICAL LEADERS AND CITIZENS ALIKE IN THESE THREE COUNTRIES. THEY CONCLUDE THAT THE MOVE TOWARD PRIVATIZATION TOOK ROOT MORE IN POLITICAL STRATEGY THAN IN COMPELLING ECONOMIC OR FISCAL MOTIVES. IN ALL THREE COUNTRIES IT EMERGED ON THE LEVEL OF CAMPAIGN RHETORIC. INSOFAR AS THIS HAS BEEN PURSUED BY ACTUAL INITIATIVES, THE THRUST OF THE POLITICAL STRATEGY HAS SHIFTED THROUGH A PROCESS OF REALIZATION WHEREBY CONSERVATIVE REGIMES RECOGNIZE THAT THEY CAN ALTER VOTERS' VIEWS OF THEIR INTERESTS BY GIVING THEM A CLEARER SENSE OF HAVING A STAKE IN THE ECONOMY. IN THIS REGARD, IT IS INTERESTING THAT AMERICAN CONSERVATIVES DISILLUSIOND WITH THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION FREQUENTLY CITE ITS LACK OF FOLLOW THROUGH UPON ITS PRIVATIZATION RHETORIC.