Artikel

Neo-corporatisme en functioneel-integrale macht: een politiek-sociologische poging tot verklaring van een aantal recente accentverschuivingen in het Belgische macrobestel

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Abstract

Neo-corporatism and functional-integral power: an attempt to explain sociologically some recent changes on the macro-level of Belgian political life — A first part (II) of this paper reviews the current theory on neo-corporatism and agrees with Schmitter as to the need for a model of societal change as a background for this theory. Such a model is introduced in a second part (III) of this paper : the power-typology of Geiger is developed further by the author into a combined typology (III, A) consisting of a combination of the form of power-exercise (integral or intercursive, i.e. power „over” or power „between”) with the nature of the power-basis (structural or functional, i.e. based on the rights that belong to a position or on concrete contributions towards the needs of the system). The hypothesis is that each combined type of power-relationship develops by preference in a given type of social structure and gives rise in turn to a different form of integration and conflict in society. Social differentiation is supposed to be the most important variable in social structure, but cannot be seen as entirely independent of its context. The four combined forms of power-relationship however, pertain to four different types of social systems that can be ranked according to their degree of social differentiation. It is argued in part III, B that one of the types of power-relationship, the functional-integral one, entirely fits neo-corporatism, which is seen as the logical way of interest mediation and promotion in a situation where the functional-integral power-relationship is dominant or at least important. This occurs where the interdependence is so great that the contribution or collaboration of every main group of the population has become indispensable to the system, while the system (still) needs a rather strong guidance. A third and last part (IV) of this paper shows that neo-corporatism and functional-integral power are growing realities in postwar Belgian political life. The evolution of this growth and the relations with other power-forms are examined over three periods: 1945-1959 is the period of foundation of neo-corporatism in Belgium, in which the functional-integral power-relationship is entirely dominated by the structural-intercursive relationship (i.e. by a crosscutting conflictmanagement — and specific exchange system); from i960 until 1968 neo-corporatist institutions and practice grew rapidly, but still under the auspices of a mainly structural-intercursive system, while after 1968 neo-corporatism (i.e. functional-integral power in the socio-economic dimension) is paramount, but raises reactions from a new, but quickly repanding functional-intercursive subsystem. Meanwhile there are indications that in other dimensions as the socio-economic one (especially in the ethnic-cultural dimension) some developments have occured in the direction of a functional-integral power system too.

How to Cite:

Van Den Brande, A., (1980) “Neo-corporatisme en functioneel-integrale macht: een politiek-sociologische poging tot verklaring van een aantal recente accentverschuivingen in het Belgische macrobestel”, Tijdschrift voor Sociale Wetenschappen 25(1), 33–60. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/tvsw.94752