Trade unions and social capital in transitional communist states: The case of China

Following the important recent work of Robert Putnam, there is considerable current debate about whether the volume of ‘social capital’ in western societies is in decline and if so what might be the implications for political democracy. Evaluations of the arguments are difficult both because the concept of social capital is a contested one and because measuring social capital is difficult. This paper focuses on membership of voluntary associations in England and Wales as a key measure of social capital and analyses trends in associational membership and their social determinants using the Oxford Mobility Study and British Household Panel Survey. We show that focusing on seven associations there is a broad pattern of stability in membership with the striking and remarkable exception of falling male membership of trade unions and working-men?s clubs. We see this as testimony to a class polarisation in membership in which working class men have been increasingly marginalised from associational memberships. Our conclusion argues that if the membership of voluntary associations is to be used as an index of social capital, there is an increasing social skewing of membership and an intensifying service class hegemony over social capital which poses major concerns for its potential to sustain democratic politics.

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McStrike! Framing, (Political) Opportunity and the Development of a Collective Identity: McDonald’s and the UK Fast-Food Rights Campaign

Work Employment and Society ◽

10.1177/0950017020959264 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 095001702095926

Author(s):

Tony Royle ◽

Yvonne Rueckert

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Collective Identity ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Fast Food ◽

External Environment ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Political Opportunity ◽

External Stakeholders ◽

The Uk

This article examines the development of the UK ‘Fast-Food Rights Campaign’ and the formation of a collective identity amongst McDonald’s UK workers. It illustrates how, despite an acquiescent and fragmented workforce, workers diagnostically frame (recognize, articulate and attribute) perceived injustices relating to their pay and working conditions. However, the main focus is on prognostic framing which brings people ‘together’ to find a ‘consensus’ for a solution to perceived injustices. Prognostic framing also requires the ability to process and interpret information in a holistic way and to reach out for support to external stakeholders such as trade unions. The article applies Bourdieu’s theory of capital and the concept of political opportunity to help us ‘unpick’ prognostic framing. In this context, it examines the cultural and social capital of worker leaders, in particular their personal characteristics, and their perceptions about the level of support in the external environment.

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How can trade unions act strategically?

Transfer European Review of Labour and Research ◽

10.1177/102425890701300204 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 193-210 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Richard Hyman

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Trade Union ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Organisational Learning ◽

Social Models ◽

New Capitalism ◽

New Strategies

It is generally agreed that trade unions require new strategies to respond to external and internal challenges. Economic internationalisation makes it easier for employers to escape national structures of employment regulation, and appears to weaken the ability of governments to defend nationally-based social models; sectoral and occupational shifts in employment erode traditional union strongholds, while social and ideological changes undermine workers' traditional orientation to collectivism. Yet what do we mean by trade union strategy, and how can it be modernised? This article addresses in particular the literatures on organisational learning, social capital and vocabularies of motive to explore how the twin principles of leadership and democracy can be harnessed to meet the challenges of the ‘new’ capitalism.

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De persistentie van verzuiling op microniveau in Vlaanderen : Een analyse van surveydata over lidmaatschap, zuilintegratie, stemgedrag en maatschappelijke houdingen

Res Publica ◽

10.21825/rp.v41i4.18489 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 391-420

Author(s):

Marc Hooghe

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Political Parties ◽

Survey Data ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Strong Influence ◽

Voluntary Associations ◽

Voting Behaviour ◽

The Social ◽

High Degree

An analysis of survey data on membership, pillarisation, voting behaviour and attitudes.Belgian society is traditionally portrayed as heavily pillarised, i.e. having a system of exclusive linkages between voluntary associations and political parties, resulting in the formation of a catholic, a socialist and a liberal 'pillar' within society. Recently, several authors have questioned the validity oft his model. Our survey of the Flemish population, however, shows that pillarisation is an enduring feature of Flemish society. Membership of voluntary associations, trade unions and health insurance organisations remains ideologically motivated, and shows a high degree ofconsistency in this respect. Integration into a 'pillar' exerts a strong influence on voting behaviour, although this effect weakens in younger generations. Pillars also have significant, but weaker effects on attitudes like individualism, trust and solidarity. In the social capital research tradition, these differential effects of membership are often neglected. Although there are signs that pillarisation weakens in Fiemish society, the system certainly has not disappeared.

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