Why a cycle of workers’ conflicts like that of 1968-1972 in Western Europe is unlikely to be repeated in other countries either

Emilio Reyneri

Stato e mercato, 2024, issue 1, 181-188

Abstract: In Western Europe at the top of the «Golden age» the years from 1968 to 1972 were marked by fierce and massive conflicts carried out by young unskilled blue collars in large factories. This event can be explained by eight conditions that occurred at the same time. 1) The largest generation of young people; 2) A young working class with poor cultural divide and often free of family constraints; 3) A really booming economy; 4) A near full employment labour market; 5) An economy mainly based on manufacturing; 6) A large employment of blue collars in big and tayloristic factories; 7) A Marxist ideology still widespread among workers and prolabour activists; 8) A democratic political system, a condition often forgotten. The first seven conditions no longer exist in Western Europe, so that we cannot attend a reply of harsh blue collars’ conflicts. Some of them may be present in Asian countries, where large factories are still widespread and young people are still booming. Yet cultural and religious divides among workers, armed conflicts and above all non-democratic political systems may be able to prevent any upsurge of a labour movement like that of 196815-1972 in Western Europe.

Keywords: Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure; J500 - Labor- Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining: General; P5 - Comparative Economic Systems. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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