Hegemony and the Regional Question: The Political Geography of Regional Industrial Policy in Northern Ireland, 1945–1972

Abstract

In this paper we define regional economic development as a political-geographical problem using a theoretical logic drawn from the writings of Antonio Gramsci on hegemony and the Italian qursrione meridionule (southern question). This logic is then used in a discussion of regional industrial policy in Northern Ireland between 1945 and 1972. A major claim is that relative levels of regional economic development are not independent of politics, nor do they follow some natural economic order; they are, instead, critically dependent on the practical need of states for popular legitimation of economic activities and for the political-social order represented by a particular government or political party. The paper ends with a brief comparison of the approach with alternatives.

Mobilités et urbanisme patrimonial

“…No como un sistema, estructura o algo acabado, sino como un proceso que constantemente es renegociado y desafiado (Williams, 1989). Siguiendo este predicamento, la hegemonía puede ser ganada, reproducida y sostenida (Hall citado en Mac Laughlind y Agnew, 1986). Además ella no se la impone desde arriba hacia abajo, sino que más bien es una realidad intersubjetivamente constituida (Cox, 1994).…”

Class formation, conflict and housing policies

“…It emphasizes the politics of capitalist state development, but provides a marxist alternative to proposals for exclusively political explanations of changes in the state. These claim that only 'postmarxist' theories can account for contemporary political life (e.g., MacLaughlin and Agnew, 1986;Laclau and Mouffe, 1987).…”

Structural Hegemony in Sub-Sahara Africa: Implications for Readjustment of Polarized Economic Regions

“…It does not of necessity imply Marxian relations in production as used in some of the radical literature (Cramsci 1966;MacLaughlin and Agnew 1986). In this paper, the word "hegemony" is therefore used in its literal sense to portray the dominant position of political and economic elite in the postcolonial state and their tendency to exercise power not mandated by their constituencies.…”

“…As the objective of competitive forces is efficiency in the mobilization and allocation of productive resources, spatial inequalities may ultimately result from differential competitive positions between the center and outlying areas. Although the existence of truly free markets operating in space is open t o debate even in developed economies (Massey 1973, 33-39;MacLaughlin and Agnew 1986), for the sake of clarity, I shall assume that spatial disparity in the competitive mode is purely a function of fair competition in the market place to which all producers and consumers have equal access as free agents. In a free market system, spatial inequity is considered an aberration which, if it occurs, nullifies the assumption of free market and perfect competition.…”

“…In this paper, the word "hegemony" is therefore used in its literal sense to portray the dominant position of political and economic elite in the postcolonial state and their tendency to exercise power not mandated by their constituencies. It does not of necessity imply Marxian relations in production as used in some of the radical literature (Cramsci 1966;MacLaughlin and Agnew 1986).…”