Abstract

It was part of the assignment to explore the link between regionalization on the one hand, and employment, industrial structure and investment policy on the other hand. Because of the embryonic stage which labour sociological research is still in, only a few questions and considerations are proposed here. First of all, it is argued that the investments necessary for an adequate study of the developments involving the socio-economic fracture, are not sufficiently developed. Attention should be focussed on the roleplayed by capital strategies in the historical development of the Belgian political and economic system. This paper advances arguments in favour of inequality based on the dialectics of class struggle running through the different social formations in the transition to a late capitalist society. A second series of considerations relates to the current discussions of regional inequality in Belgium. It is ascertained that the comparative studies backing up the devolution debate are susceptible to many different interpretations and that the most striking inequalities should probably be situated not in the interregional field (Flanders - Wallonia) but more in the area of subregional aggregates. A final series of considerations is devoted to Ouévit's study "Les causes du déclin wallon". It is to the advantage of that study that it pays attention to the role of capital fractions throughout the different stages of industrialization. The way in which different capital fractions are distinguished, and the social formations (alliances) are situated seems however open to criticism. The work therefore illustrates at least the embryonic stage in which the study of spatial inequality in Belgium lingers.

How to Cite:

Bundervoet, J., (1981) “Kapitaalstrategieën en regionalisering in België: enkele vragen en bedenkingen”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 2(3-4), 261–300. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.85797