We are also living in a world where there is an increasing lumpen
proletariat. With rapid global industrialisation and bad environmental
management, pre-industrial lifestyles have become less viable, so we are
losing our capabilities to lead peasant or tribal lives.
World wide, the peasantry are being urbanised, not to be become working or
middle class, but to be transitory, lumpen and easily exploitable. The
effect on textile and garment workers (never the best paid in the first
case) in the northern countries has also been devastating. As Bruce
indicates, the role of organised labour in achieving what we have is
fundamental, however, it is not without reason that governments who are
claiming to be "modern" (like our Mr Blair), are trying to roll back the
power of organised labour (from a political party that was meant to be the
voice of organised labour). Earlier this month "development" was
debated... the same issues apply to economic development. Development as
improvement is yet another construct to be challenged. Fukayama may be
wrong. History may have not died yet.
Martin
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