Working Class Politics: An Interpretation of the Quebec Case*

L'echec repete des partis politiques de gauche au Quebec est generalement attri-bue au conservatisme et au nationalisme de la classe ouvriere canadienne-fran-caise. Cependant, quand on considere l'appui disproportions des ouvriers pour l'Union Nationale, il appert que cet appui ne peut s'expliquer par de telles attitudes. Nous suggerons plutot que la montee de l'Union Nationale durant les an-nees de 1935 a 1936 represente surtout la montee d'un mouvement politique de protestation economique, et que les ouvriers s'attacherent peu a evaluer son ideologic propre. De facon plus generate, nous pretendons que les valeurs et les inte-rets des elites sont plus importantes que ceux des classes inferieures pour ex-pliquer 1'orientation conservatrice et nationaliste de la politique au Quebec et l'echec des partis de gauche. The failure of leftist parties in Quebec is usually interpreted as a result of the conservatism and ethnic consciousness of the French Canadian working class. However, when the disproportionate support of the workers for the conservative Union Nationale party is considered, one finds that it cannot be explained by these and related attitudes. As an alternative interpretation, it is suggested that the Union Nationale rose during the 1930s as an economic protest movement and that the workers turned to it independently of its philosophy. More generally, we argue that the values and interests of the elites are more important than those of the lower classes to explain the conservative and nationalist character of Quebec politics and the failure of leftist parties.     

On optimal control and macroeconomic policy

Control theory has important contributions to make to the theory of macro-economic policy. These include a unified view of estimation, forecasting and control and a consequently clearer focus in identifying performance criteria. Further, the methods of control theory imply objectivity and a need for assumptions to be made explicit. By contrast, the UK lacks a research body for forecasting and policy evaluation detached from doctrinal or methodological commitment. Engineering control methods, however, diverge from those wholly acceptable to economic systems in that, in the latter, the controller is himself part of the system he controls and some of his controls operate only indirectly. A further difference is that economics cannot as yet furnish the controller with reliable models of system behaviour linking policy instruments to set targets.     

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The Evolution of Housing Typologies for Older Adults in The Netherlands From 1945 to 2016: An Analysis in the Context of Policy,Societal, and Technological Developments

This study aims to examine housing typologies for older adults in the light of three qualitatively examined exogenous factors: policy, societal developments, and technology. The developments in inpatient and assisted ambulatory housing facilities for older adults have been mapped from 1945 to 2016 using quantitative data. Using these data, five transition periods can be distinguished. Within the first transition periods, policy factors were tremendously important, while within the later ones, societal influence empowered by technological change became the primarily driving factor. This research shows that the classification of inpatient, assisted ambulatory housing, and outpatient housing may no longer be applicable in its current form.     

Inequality of educational opportunity in France and the United States

Unequality of educational opportunity is related to school structure. Comparison of the attainment process in France and the United States reveals the consequences of structure for individuals' attainments. Turner's (1960) typology of educational systems is applied. The French educational system is shown to be closer to Turner's “sponsorship system,” and that of the U. S. closer to the “contest” type. Inequality of educational opportunity, as indicated by the effect of father's occupational status on years of schooling completed, is greater in France than in the U. S. The difference is accounted for by school structural variables, indicating the importance of structure for inequality of opportunity. Other differences concerning the causes of educational attainment in France and the U. S. are also discussed.