Political Decentraliza tion in Socialist France: Alternative Theories--AIternative Struggles

View/ Open
Issue Date
1986-01-01Author
Rousseau, Mark O.
Hunt, Scott
Publisher
Department of Sociology, University of Kansas
Type
Article
Rights
Copyright (c) Social Thought and Research. For rights questions please contact Editor, Department of Sociology, Social Thought and Research, Fraser Hall, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
A unitary, strongly centralized state has characterized French political thought and practice for centuries. The Socialist Party broke from this tradition during its recent tenure in national office when it passed a comprehensive program of political decentralization. We consider these recent changes in the structure of the French state from pluralist, elitist, and ruling class perspectives, and conclude that each of these traditional conceptualizations limits our understanding of state power in various ways. We explore the utility of a refined ruling class perspective known as social capital, and suggest it offers insights into political decentralization and state structure not provided by alternative perspectives. We conclude by suggesting that social capital holds promise for application to problems of analytical and practical significance.
Citation
Mid-American Review of Sociology, Volume 11, Number 2 (WINTER, 1986), pp. 45-74 http://dx.doi.org/10.17161/STR.1808.5002
Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.