Globalization and Varieties of Capitalism : New Labour, Economic Policy and the Abject State

This Book Is A Study Of Britain As A Capitalism Poised Between American And European Models. It Explores Themes Of Legitimation, Denial And Opportunism Via A Series Of Substantial Case Studies Framed By A Reinterpretation Of Thatcherism's Economic Contexts And A Critical Assessment Of New Labour--provided By Publisher. Machine Generated Contents Note: Introduction * Globalization And Capitalism Unleashed: The Travails Of Labour * The Commanding State: The Politics Of Competitiveness * The Self-effacing State: Private Services Required * The Self-deceiving State: The Model Employer Myth * New Ways Or The Abject State * The End Of Things: The Great Financial Crisis * Strange Days * References * Name And Subject Index Introduction * Globalization And Capitalism Unleashed: The Travails Of Labour * The Commanding State: The Politics Of Competitiveness * The Self-effacing State: Private Services Required * The Self-deceiving State: The Model Employer Myth * New Ways Or The Abject State * The End Of Things: The Great Financial Crisis * Strange Days * References * Name And Subject Index. Dan Coffey, Carole Thornley. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 170-179) And Index. "For far too long, studies of UK economic and social policy have failed to engage adequately with the rich literature now available on the varieties of capitalism elsewhere. But no longer. Dan Coffey and Carole Thornley have done us the very great service of illuminating UK experience by setting it in its wider theoretical and comparative context, and of refining our understanding of that context by placing the UK at its core. If read widely, as it deserves to be, this book should change the way we understand the character and limits of New Labour in power."--David Coates, Worrell Professor of Anglo-American Studies, Wake Forest University, USA 'The mapping of state guises as commanding, self-effacing, self-deceiving and abject is revealing and instructive, and relevant to all Western countries. This mapping highlights insidious policy incompetence, framed by a rhetoric of legitimation and denial. In its historically-grounded and nuanced analysis, this book exposes the depth of state complicity with the corporate project, and challenges the tendency of states to eschew responsibility by shifting blame to global forces out of their control. The intriguing and gendered deconstruction of the state as model employer offers a sobering account of horizontal and vertical segregation, low wages and part time work among the feminized public sector labour force, and a forceful reminder that gains for women workers are a result of organized militancy. A persuasive and timely analysis as governments take on a newly-visible 'activist' role in the profound international crisis of capitalism which is currently unfolding.' -- Prof Linda Briskin, York University, Toronto, Canada 'This timely book places New Labour and its continuation of the Thatcherite experiment with 'capitalism unleashed' in its historical context. Its evidence and focus concerns the UK, but it is also aimed at all those Europeans and others who were and are tempted by the siren logic of rolling back state regulations of capital movements and worker protections against commodification. Its detailed analysis of UK state-global capital relations provides a rigorous antidote to fatalistic determinism. Above all, Dan Coffey and Carole Thornley demonstrate that the national state remains an independent actor, hence with a continuing potential to sustain new and better varieties of societal organization.' - Steve Jefferys, Professor of European Employment Studies, London Metropolitan University, London, UK A study of contemporary Britain as a capitalism poised between American and European models, this innovative book begins with a bold re-interpretation of the economic contexts and bequests of Thatcherism that takes up the 'shock' hypothesis of Naomi Klein and roots it in an alternative economic history, and finishes with a critical assessment of the New Labour project. Pursuing the state in its various policy guises - including its attitudes towards transnational corporations, the public-private interface and gendered employment structures and equalities - it explores themes of legitimation, denial and opportunism via a series of original studies of comparative policy importance capped by a commentary on the early impact of the first great crisis of the 21st century. Building upon a range of recent contributions to both the 'varieties of capitalism' and 'third way' debates, the case is made for a globally and historically aware approach that treats the state as a key actor. 'For far too long, studies of UK economic and social policy have failed to engage adequately with the rich literature now available on the varieties of capitalism elsewhere. But no longer. Dan Coffey and Carole Thornley have done us the very great service of illuminating UK experience by setting it in its wider theoretical and comparative context, and of refining our understanding of that context by placing the UK at its core. If read widely, as it deserves to be, this book should change the way we understand the character and limits of New Labour in power.' A study of Britain as a capitalism poised between American and European models, exploring themes of legitimation, denial and opportunism via a series of substantial case studies framed by a reinterpretation of Thatcherism's economic contexts and a critical assessment of New Labour. A study of contemporary Britain as a capitalism poised between American and European models, this innovative book begins with a bold re-interpretation of the economic contexts and bequests of Thatcherism that takes up the 'shock' hypothesis of Naomi Klein and roots it in an alternative economic history, and finishes with a critical assessment of the New Labour project. Pursuing the state in its various policy guises -- including its attitudes towards transnational corporations, the public-private interface and gendered employment structures and equalities -- it explores themes of legitimation, denial and opportunism via a series of original studies of comparative policy importance capped by a commentary on the early impact of the first great crisis of the 21st century. Building upon a range of recent contributions to both the 'varieties of capitalism' and 'third way' debates, the case is made for a globally and historically aware approach that treats the state as a key actor "This study of contemporary Britain as a capitalism poised between American and European models, this innovative book begins with a bold re-interpretation of the economic contexts and bequests of Thatcherism that takes up the 'shock' hypothesis of Naomi Klein and roots it in an alternative economic history, and finishes with a critical assessment of the New Labour project. Pursuing the state in its various policy guises - including its attitudes towards transnational corporations, the public-private interface and gendered employment structures and equalities - it explores themes of legitimation, denial and opportunism via a series of original studies of comparative policy importance capped by a commentary on the early impact of the first great crisis of the 21st century. Building upon a range of recent contributions to both the 'varieties of capitalism' and 'third way' debates, the case is made for a globally and historically aware approach that treats the state as a key actor."--Book cover "This book studies contemporary Britain as a capitalism poised between American and European models. It begins with a re-interpretation of the economic contexts and bequests of Thatcherism that takes up the 'shock' hypothesis of Naomi Klein and roots it in an alternative economic history, and finishes with a critical assessment of the New Labour project. Pursuing the state in its various policy, it explores themes of legitimation, denial and opportunism. This is done via a series of original studies of comparative policy importance capped by a commentary on the early impact of the first great crisis of the 21st century. The book builds upon a range of recent contributions to both the 'varieties of capitalism' and 'third way' debates. The case is made for a globally and historically aware approach that treats the state as a key actor."--BOOK JACKET Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 List of Figures......Page 9 List of Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 11 1 Introduction......Page 12 2 Globalization and Capitalism Unleashed: The Travails of Labour......Page 23 3 The Commanding State: The Politics of Competitiveness......Page 44 4 The Self-Effacing State: Private Services Required......Page 69 5 The Self-Deceiving State: The ‘Model Employer’ Myth......Page 92 6 New Ways or the Abject State......Page 121 7 The End of Things: The Great Financial Crisis......Page 142 8 Strange Days......Page 154 Notes......Page 165 References......Page 181 C......Page 192 E......Page 193 I......Page 194 N......Page 195 P......Page 196 T......Page 197 W......Page 198