Social Polarisation, Economic Restructuring and Welfare State Regimes

Abstract

The central argument of this paper is that it is misconceived to view social polarisation of occupational structure and incomes in global cities as either inevitable or as a direct product of economic restructuring. It is argued that this neglects the key role of different welfare state structures which can and do influence both occupational and income structures independently of the processes of economic restructuring. The form and extent of polarisation in different cities are likely to reflect the nature and form of welfare state regimes in different countries as well as the form of economic restructuring and other factors such as the scale of immigration. Evidence from London suggests that growing income polarisation is accompanied by a professionalisation of the occupational structure.