Description
Book SynopsisShould the advanced Western democracies, contrary to their prevailing self-image as 'planned' and 'managed', be seen as highly disorganized systems of social power and political authority? If so, what are the symptoms, consequences and possible remedies of these disorganizing tendencies? In this newly translated work, almost all of which has until now been unavailable to English-speaking readers, Claus Offe seeks to provide answers to these questions. Moving beyond the boundaries of both Marxism and other forms of political sociology, he gives particular emphasis to the growth of serious cleavages within the work force (and between the employed and the unemployed), the importance of the 'informal' sector, the severe difficulties faced by trade unions in coping with the present economic crisis, the vulnerability of 'neo-corporatist' mechanisms, and the failures of state policy-making based on either majority rule or bureaucratic administration. In critically examining these and other pr
