Corporatism and Political Theory

185 Pages·1986·29.498 MB·English

by  Alan Cawson

Corporatism and Political Theory
For Vasiliki
Corporatism
Politic;T"ilheory
ALAN CAWSON
Basil Blackwell
© Alan Cawson 1986
First published 1986
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Cawson, Alan
Corporatism and political theory.
1. Corporate state
I. Title
321.9 HD3611
ISBN 0-631-13279-1
Library of Congress Cataloging in: Publication Data
Cawson, Alan
Corporatism and political theory.
Bibliography: P-
Includes index
1. Corporate state, 2. Plurahsrn (Social sciences)
3. State, The. I. Title.
JC478.C33 1986 321 85-31802
ISBN 0-631-13279-1 (U-5-)
Typeset by Saxon Ltd, Derby
Printed in Great Britaln by '1'.]_ Press Ltd, Padstow
Contents
.
Preface viii
1 V/lhy Corporatism?
Introduction 1
Cornpetingparadigms 1
The need for a new approach 4
A dualist strategy 6
The differences explored 6
Coneluslon 1 9
2 Whatis Corporatism?
Corporatism as post-capitalism 22
Corporatism as state form 24
Corporatism as interest intermediation 25
Pluralism as an ideal type 27
Corporatism as an ideal type 32
A continuum between pluralism and corporatism 39
Closure and the dynamic of concentration 41
Corporate pluralism and corporatism: the British case 42
3 Corporatism and the Question of the State
What is the state? - pluralist views 46
Critiques of pluralist conceptions of the state 48
Neo-Marxist theories of the state 49
Structural and organisational factors 54
The nature of the state 57
The basis of state power 58
Functions of the state 60
VI Contents
Economic policy 62
State power and social stratification 65
Conclusion 66
4 Varieties of Corporatism
Introduction 68
Corporatism-1 and Corporatism~2 69
Variations in levels of organisation 71
Policy scope and relevant interests 73
At least three partners ? 75
Summary: varieties of corporatism 77
Conclusion 82
5. Macro-Corporatism
Trade unions 84
Business organisation 87
Cross-natiOnal comparisons 89
Macro orporatism and the tax-welfare system 90
Macro orporatism and 'govc:r11ability' 92
Macro-corporatisrn and unemployment 94
Discussion 97
Austria as an ideal type 100
Discussion 103
6 Meso- and Micro-Corporatisrn
Meso-corporatism and sectoral interests 107
Industrial policy 113
Social and welfare policy 115
Micro-corporatism 118
Micro-corporatism in land-use planning 121
The need for further research 122
Levels of corporatism 123
7 Dualism and Democracy
Production and consumption 127
Transfer payments 131
State intervention 133
Levels of the state 136
Competition, closure and dual polities 140
Dualism and democracy 145
Contents V11
Concluslon 147
Notes 150
References 159
Index 170
Preface
This book was written while I was a ]can Monnet Fellow at the
European University Institute, Florence, and I would like to express
my appreciation of the opportunity to refine and discuss my ideas on
corporatism in such exceptional surroundings. I am especially grateful
to Philippe Schmitter for his support and advice. I am grateful to Philip
Carpenter of Basil Blackwell for encouraging me to write this book in
the first place, and for his patience duringits gestation.
The book has benefited from discussions with a large number of
colleagues at the EUI Summer School in 1983, in Florence during
19846 and at Sussex. I would like to mention in particular Wolfgang
Streeck,]elle Visser, Colin Crouch, Martin Rhodes, John Dearlove and
Peter Saunders. I am also grateful to S., E. and A. Metaxa for
companionship during long evenings.
Many authors conclude their prefaces with an acknowledgement to
their wives. In this case the debt is an exceptionally large one, and the
dedication of this book to my wife, Vasiliki, is in gratitude for her
considerable contribution to it.