Employment Standards in Transition: From Fordism to Finance-Driven Capitalism

Abstract

In a recent historical overview of theoretical concepts of processes of standardization and diversification, Mark Elchardus (2011) demonstrates that these have varied considerably over time. Some theorists, like Max Weber or George Ritzer, saw society as moving towards ever-increasing standardization; other commentators, like Théophile Gautier or John Stuart Mill, strongly defended and gave preference to individuality, flexibility and sociocultural diversity, distancing themselves from any standardization of social action. In attempting to overcome such extreme views, Elchardus examines the interrelation between standardization and flexibility/diversity and argues that it does not make sense to talk of any one of these in isolation, without reference to its counterpart. In contrast, the existence of and the respect for generally agreed economic and social standards is normally the precondition of flexibility and diversity and define their scope. Chaos and disintegration both at the system and social level (Lockwood, 1992) would be the likely result without such agreements on social standards.