The Anatomy of Capitalist Societies

The Anatomy of Capitalist Societies

Contemporary So<:lal Theory General Editor: ANTHONY GIDDENS This series aims to create a forum for debate between different theoretical and philosophical traditions in the social sciences. The books included in the series wiu cover broad schools of thought as well as the work of panicular thinkers whose ideas have had a major impact in social science, under the general title of Theoretical Traditions in the Social Sciences. The series is not limited to abstract theoretical discussion, but will also incl ude more substantive works on contemporary capitalism, the state and politics. PUBLISHED TITLES Anthony Giddens: Central Problems in Social Theory FORTHCOMING TITLES Martin Albrow: Weber and the Construction of Social Theory Zygmunt Bauman: Memories of Class Zygmunt Bauman: The Pyrric Victory of the Puritan Tony Bilton, Kevin Bonnen, Louella Hodgson, Philip Jones, Ken Sheard, Michelle Stanwonh, Andrew Webster: Introductory Sociology David Brown: Industrial Sociology Simon Oarke: Marx, Marginalism and Modern Sociology Emile Durkheim: Rules of Sociological Method Boris Frankel: The Modern State David Held and John Thompson (Editors): Critical Essays on Habermas David Held: Bureaucracy, Democracy and Socialism Oaus Offe: Structural Problems of the Capitalist State Ali Ranansi: Marx and the Division of Labour Gerry Rose: Deciphering Sociological Research John Scott: The Development of the British Upper Oass Steven Taylor: Durkheim and the Study of Suicide John Urry: The Anatomy of Capitalist Societies Theoredcal Tradltlom; ki the Social Sciences FORTHCOMING TITLES Barry Barnes: Kuhn and Social Science David Bloor: Wittgenstein and Social Science John Forrester: Jacques Lacan John Heritage: Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology Althar Hussain: Foucault Bob Jessop: Nicos Poulantzas Robin Williams: Erving Goffman

The Anatomy of Capitalist Societies The Economy, Civil Society and the State John Urry Department of Sociology University of Lancaster M

John Urry 1981 Softcover reprint of the hardcover I st edition 1981 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permission. First published 1981 by THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD London and Basingstoke Associated companies in Delhi Dublin Hong Kong Johannesburg Lagos Melbourne New York Singapore and Tokyo ISBN 978-0-333-29431-4 ISBN 978-1-349-16506-3 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-16506-3 This book is sold subject to the standard conditions of the Net Book Agreement. The paperback edition of this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

For Thomas and Amy

Contents Preface ix 1 Introduction 1 2 Civil Society 10 3 The Spheres of Production and Circulation 26 4 The Critique of Ideology 44 5 The Practices of Civil Society 63 6 The State: A Critique 80 7 The State: Some Proposals 99 8 The State, Labour-Power and Class Struggle 117 9 Capitalism and Representative Democracy 140 Notes and References 155 Bibliography 167 Index of Names 175 Index of Subjects 177

Preface I am very grateful to the following friends who read the typescript in whole or in part, and made extremely helpful comments and suggestions: Nick Abercrombie, Scott Lash, Dan Shapiro, Sylvia Walby and Alan Warde. I would also like to thank various students of mine in Lancaster with whom I have discussed various aspects of this book. I am also grateful to the Sociology Department at the University of Lancaster for providing a generally supportive intellectual environment. University of Lancaster 1980 JOHN URRY