Hartmut Kaelble - Böcker

In this 1991 volume a distinguished team of international contributors consider some of the central long-term issues raised by the problem of income distribution. The Kuznets curve - i.e. the notion that income distribution became increasingly unequal during the period of industrialisation, and progressively less unequal during the drive to maturity - lies at the centre of much of the analysis, and its relevance is discussed in a wide-ranging series of articles covering the British, Belgian, German, Australian, Austrian and American experiences. This volume was the first for many years to take such a broad, comparative approach to income distribution, and makes an important and authoritative contribution to an area of perennial debate.

Since 1945 Europe has experienced many periods of turmoil and conflict and as many moments of peace and integration: from the devastation felt in the aftermath of World War II to the recovery in the 1950s and 1960s; to the new challenges in the 1970s and 1980s when neoliberal policies led to fundamental social and economic changes, marked by the effects of the oil shock and widespread unemployment; and then 1989 and after when the existing world order experienced new convulsions. In this brilliant and comprehensive work, the author, one of the best known social historians of Europe, discusses a wide range of subjects, not shying away from controversial topics: family structure, work, consumption, values, migration, inequality, elites, civil society, social movements, media, welfare state, education, and urban policies. He focuses on the fundamental changes European societies underwent in the second half of the twentieth century but also explores what divides Europeans, what unites them, and what sets them apart from the rest of the world. This major historical work will be an important and highly sought-after addition for library collections as well as an important volume for course adoptions.

First published in English in 1981, Historical Research on Social Mobility treats a central area of social history: the history of social mobility. It provides a unique guide to the wide range of research in this area that is carried out by many specialists of varying disciplines within social science.Concentrating on Western Europe and the USA during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the book considers four topics—changes in the occupational and social opportunities of the working class; the inequality of educational opportunity; shifts in the recruitment of business elites, and changes in the social origins of the political elites. Illustrating concrete results of research into the history of social mobility, the volume also points to both the advances and shortcomings in this relatively new area.Incorporating an extensive bibliography, the book provides an invaluable stimulus for further reading and investigation.

A good social history of Europe has yet to be written though, given the developments over the last few decades, this seems more urgent than ever before. This volume presents an important step forward in that it brings together eight internationally known social historians from Europe and Israel, each of whom offer an overview of some key themes in European history during the last two centuries. While dealing with the great changes of this period, the authors reveal the commonalities that link European societies together but also important differences at a national level.

A good social history of Europe has yet to be written though, given the developments over the last few decades, this seems more urgent than ever before. This volume presents an important step forward in that it brings together eight internationally known social historians from Europe and Israel, each of whom offer an overview of some key themes in European history during the last two centuries. While dealing with the great changes of this period, the authors reveal the commonalities that link European societies together but also important differences at a national level.

As social inequality grows, historical analysis on wealth and income distribution across the 20th century often does not take into account inequality of education, health, housing and chances of social mobility, nor does it differentiate statistical inequality from the realities of peoples’ actual experience. With this broad understanding in mind, in a long look back on the history of social inequality in Europe, The Rich and the Poor in Modern Europe addresses these neglected subjects. It also tackles the commonplace notion that modern capitalism inevitably produces wealth gaps and asks whether the facts and figures we possess also lead to alternate interpretations of examples of mitigated inequality. Covering the 20th century and the beginnings of the 21st century in Europe through wars, and economic crises, through periods of unprecedented economic prosperity and staggering economies, both exacerbating and dampening the problem, acclaimed historian Hartmut Kaelble offers a rigorous response to understanding our present-day challenge of social inequality.

Since 1945 Europe has experienced many periods of turmoil and conflict and as many moments of peace and integration: from the devastation felt in the aftermath of World War II to the recovery in the 1950s and 1960s; to the new challenges in the 1970s and 1980s when neoliberal policies led to fundamental social and economic changes, marked by the effects of the oil shock and widespread unemployment; and then 1989 and after when the existing world order experienced new convulsions. In this brilliant and comprehensive work, the author, one of the best known social historians of Europe, discusses a wide range of subjects, not shying away from controversial topics: family structure, work, consumption, values, migration, inequality, elites, civil society, social movements, media, welfare state, education, and urban policies. He focuses on the fundamental changes European societies underwent in the second half of the twentieth century but also explores what divides Europeans, what unites them, and what sets them apart from the rest of the world. This major historical work will be an important and highly sought-after addition for library collections as well as an important volume for course adoptions.

Dieser Band entstand im Forschungsprojektschwerpunkt "Historische Regio­ nalforschung" , der im Zentralinstitut für sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung 1981 bis 1985 bestand. Er wurde von der der Freien Universität Berlin von Freien Universität Berlin, in einem Einzelprojekt auch von der Stiftung Volks­ wagenwerk, finanziert. Die Mitglieder der Forschungsgruppe, Sozial- und Wirtschaftshistoriker aus verschiedenen Fachbereichen der Freien Universität Berlin, verband vor allem ein gemeinsames Interesse an dem Vergleich histori­ scher Regionen in Deutschland im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Aus zwei Motiven heraus wurde der historische Regionalvergleich als gemeinsame Klammer der Forschungsgruppe gewählt. Auf der einen Seite arbeiteten Mitglieder der Gruppe an der Geschichte wirtschaftlicher Entwicklung und sozialer Bewe­ gungen. Der historische Regionalvergleich erschien ihnen dabei für die Erklä­ rung bestimmter wirtschaftlicher Entwicklungsprozesse und einzelner sozialer Bewegungen besonders geeignet, da der Kontrastvergleich historischer Regionen Bedingungen und Hemmungen wirtschaftlicher Entwicklungen und sozialer Bewegungen besser erschließt und sie besser erklären läßt als die Untersuchung einer Einzelregion. Auf der anderen Seite arbeitete eine Reihe von Mitgliedern der Forschungsgruppe über die historische Entwicklung von regionalen Dispari­ täten, ihre Verschärfung und ihre Abmilderung im Verlauf des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts. Auch diese Frage führt direkt in die Diskussion über Vorteile und Schwierigkeiten des Vergleichs mehrerer oder sogar vieler Regionen hinein. Beide Ansätze gehen oft ineinander über. Das gemeinsame Interesse am histori­ schen Regionalvergleich war daher stärker und weniger technisch, als es auf den ersten Blick erscheinenmag. . Die meisten Monographien und Aufsätze, die in der Forschungsgruppe entstanden, sind verstreut publiziert.