The Organization of Labour Markets: Modernity, Culture and Governance in Germany, Sweden, Britain and Japan (Routledge Explorations in Economic History, 2)

There have been dramatic shifts in the behavior of labor markets and the conduct of industrial relations in the last century. This volume explores these changes in the context of four very different societies: Germany, Sweden, Britain and Japan. Despite their manifest differences, the author demonstrates that for long periods their labor markets were similar in many respects. The book discusses the failure of neo-corporatism in Britain in the 1970s and the subsequent rise of Thatcherism; the rise of Japan as a model for orderly industrial relations in the 1970s; and the collapse of the German and the success of the Swedish labor markets in the 1930s. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 8 MODERNISATION, CULTURE AND INSTITUTIONS: DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT TRAJECTORIES IN ONE HEURISTIC FRAMEWORK......Page 10 Comparison and theorisation......Page 14 Modernisation and crisis......Page 16 The periods of crisis: an ideal type......Page 18 Culture and power over problem resolution......Page 22 GERMANY......Page 36 The master-of-the-house metaphor......Page 42 The workers and their organisations......Page 46 From compromise to conflict......Page 53 The concept of rationalisation and the unemployment question......Page 62 The Volk metaphor......Page 68 The social market economy......Page 70 The emergence and erosion of a liberal corporatist order......Page 77 SWEDEN......Page 80 The open cartel strategy of the unions and the flexible response of the employers......Page 87 The state and the political embeddedness of industrial relations......Page 91 The concept of rationalisation: from struggle to compromise......Page 94 The compromises of the 1930s......Page 97 The active labour market policy......Page 103 The strains in the model and the dissolution......Page 108 UNITED KINGDOM......Page 118 Labour-intensive mode of production......Page 121 The perceptions of the class concept and the political culture......Page 126 Liberal Labourism and reformism......Page 134 The failure of a compromise on the concept of rationalisation......Page 138 Response to the unemployment of the 1930s......Page 146 Continued fragmentation......Page 150 JAPAN......Page 163 Government and industry before World War I......Page 165 The mobile workers and the weak unions......Page 167 Management and government strategies......Page 171 The family metaphor......Page 173 The second outburst of workers' radicalism and the employers' double problem......Page 177 The revolutionary upsurge and the third containment of labour......Page 187 Job security and company unions......Page 192 The restructuring of the 1970s......Page 197 CONCLUSIONS......Page 203 Notes......Page 239 References......Page 261 Index......Page 274 1. Modernisation, Culture And Institutions: Different Development Trajectories In One Heuristic Framework. Modernisation. Comparison And Theorisation. Modernisation And Crisis. The Periods Of Crisis: An Ideal Type. Culture And Power Over Problem Resolution -- 2. Germany. Concentration And A Contradictory Organisation Of The Labour Market. The Master-of-the-house Metaphor. The Workers And Their Organisations. From Compromise To Conflict. The Concept Of Rationalisation And The Unemployment Question. The Volk Metaphor. The Social Market Economy. The Emergence And Erosion Of A Liberal Corporatist Order -- 3. Sweden. Crisis And Modernisation. The Open Cartel Strategy Of The Unions And The Flexible Response Of The Employers. The State And The Political Embeddedness Of Industrial Relations. The Concept Of Rationalisation: From Struggle To Compromise. The Compromises Of The 1930s. The Active Labour Market Policy. The Strains In The Model And The Dissolution -- 4. United Kingdom. The Transformation Of Society In The 1890s. Labour-intensive Mode Of Production. The Perceptions Of The Class Concept And The Political Culture. Liberal Labourism And Reformism. The Failure Of A Compromise On The Concept Of Rationalisation. Response To The Unemployment Of The 1930s. Continued Fragmentation -- 5. Japan. Tradition, Modernity And Capitalism. Government And Industry Before World War I. The Mobile Workers And The Weak Unions. Management And Government Strategies. The Family Metaphor. The Second Outburst Of Workers' Radicalism And The Employers' Double Problem. The Revolutionary Upsurge And The Third Containment Of Labour. Job Security And Company Unions. The Restructuring Of The 1970s -- 6. Conclusions. Bo Stråth. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 252- 264) And Index. Arts, Language and Literature Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Preface 8 MODERNISATION, CULTURE AND INSTITUTIONS: DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT TRAJECTORIES IN ONE HEURISTIC FRAMEWORK 10 Comparison and theorisation 14 Modernisation and crisis 16 The periods of crisis: an ideal type 18 Culture and power over problem resolution 22 GERMANY 36 The master-of-the-house metaphor 42 The workers and their organisations 46 From compromise to conflict 53 The concept of rationalisation and the unemployment question 62 The Volk metaphor 68 The social market economy 70 The emergence and erosion of a liberal corporatist order 77 SWEDEN 80 The open cartel strategy of the unions and the flexible response of the employers 87 The state and the political embeddedness of industrial relations 91 The concept of rationalisation: from struggle to compromise 94 The compromises of the 1930s 97 The active labour market policy 103 The strains in the model and the dissolution 108 UNITED KINGDOM 118 Labour-intensive mode of production 121 The perceptions of the class concept and the political culture 126 Liberal Labourism and reformism 134 The failure of a compromise on the concept of rationalisation 138 Response to the unemployment of the 1930s 146 Continued fragmentation 150 JAPAN 163 Government and industry before World War I 165 The mobile workers and the weak unions 167 Management and government strategies 171 The family metaphor 173 The second outburst of workers' radicalism and the employers' double problem 177 The revolutionary upsurge and the third containment of labour 187 Job security and company unions 192 The restructuring of the 1970s 197 CONCLUSIONS 203 Notes 239 References 261 Index 274 There have been dramatic shifts in the behaviour of labour markets and the conduct of industrial relations in the last century. This volume explores these changes in the context of four very different societies: Germany, Sweden, Britain and Japan. However, despite their manifest differences, the author demonstrates that for long periods their labour markets were similar in many crucial respects. The book discusses: • the failure of neo-corporatism in Britain in the 1970's and the subsequent rise of Thatcherism; • the rise of Japan as a model for orderly industrial relations in the 1970's • the collapse of the German and the success of the Swedish labour markets in the 1930's. This book examines the behaviour of labour markets and the conduct of industrial relations in the last century comparing four very different societies, Germany, Sweden, Britain and Japan. Covers the period from the 1890s to the 1990s. Analyses and compares the organization of labour markets within an overall framework of modernization