Beneath the Miracle: Labor Subordination in the New Asian IndustrialismThis important study examines the dynamics of the remarkable economic transformation of South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, which has been based in large measure on the production of manufactured goods for export. The competitive edge of these countries has in turn been rooted in the mobilization of a low-cost, disciplined, and productive workforce. This study seeks therefore to explain how East Asian governments and employers have attempted to manage this workforce. It also explores the extent to which workers are able to challenge management decisions and insert working-class agendas into public policy. Beneath the Miracle moves beyond current explanations for the weakness of East Asian labor movements which emphasize Confucianist culture, material welfare gains, and political repression. It shows that the organizational capacity of workers has been more fundamentally undercut first by the nature of emergent East Asian employment systems, and second by the sequencing of developmental change, with political controls preceding rapid industrialization and preempting political and union organization of the growing industrial workforce. Deyo undertakes an incisive cross-national comparison of employment systems and explores anomalous situations, such as that in Hong Kong, where labor is politically weak even under minimal state controls, and that in South Korea, where labor is in a stronger position despite far stricter regulation. Beneath the Miracle offers a fresh and compelling comparative analysis of Asian labor movements which could lead to a reassessment of many other developmental issues in East Asia. In his probing examination, Deyo provides an important and exciting contribution to the literature in this field. This important study examines the dynamics of the remarkable economic transformation of South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, which has been based in large measure on the production of manufactured goods for export. The competitive edge of these countries has in turn been rooted in the mobilization of a low-cost, disciplined, and productive workforce. This study seeks therefore to explain how East Asian governments and employers have attempted to manage this workforce. It also explores the extent to which workers are able to challenge management decisions and insert working-class agendas into public policy. Beneath the Miracle moves beyond current explanations for the weakness of East Asian labor movements which emphasize Confucianist culture, material welfare gains, and political repression. It shows that the organizational capacity of workers has been more fundamentally undercut first by the nature of emergent East Asian employment systems, and second by the sequencing of developmental change, with political controls preceding rapid industrialization and preempting political and union organization of the growing industrial workforce. Deyo undertakes an incisive cross-national comparison of employment systems and explores anomalous situations, such as that in Hong Kong, where labor is politically weak even under minimal state controls, and that in South Korea, where labor is in a stronger position despite far stricter regulation. Beneath the Miracle offers a fresh and compelling comparative analysis of Asian labor movements which could lead to a reassessment of many other developmental issues in East Asia. In his probing examination, Deyo provides an important and exciting contribution to the literature in this field. |
Other editions - View all
Beneath the Miracle: Labor Subordination in the New Asian Industrialism Frederic C. Deyo Limited preview - 2023 |
Beneath the Miracle: Labor Subordination in the New Asian Industrialism Frederic C. Deyo No preview available - 1993 |
Common terms and phrases
Argentina Asia Asian labor movements associated authoritarian Bank of Korea bourgeoisie Brazil capital Chen Chinese Federation continuing corporatism corporatist countries Days Lost decline Deyo disputes early EOI East Asian labor East Asian NICs economic effective electronics elite employers encouraged EOI development export manufacturing Export-Oriented Industrialization factories FEER female workers firms force foreign investment groups growth heavy industry Hong Kong important increase indus Industrial Conflict Kong and Taiwan labor controls labor militancy labor movements labor peace labor regimes labor systems Labour Statistics Latin American leftist levels light industry manufacturing employment ment mobilization National Wages Council nomic organizational organized pattern percent percentage period political production proletarian protest relatively Report repression role sectors shift Singapore Singapore's social South Korea Statistical Yearbook Statistics various stoppages strike structural Table Taiwan Taiwanese textile tion trade unions University Press wage welfare Yearbook of Labour