The Peace Movement: Some Answers Concerning Its Social Nature and Structure

Abstract

In his discussion of the peace movement, Artur Meier ( International Sociology 3: 77-87) put forward a number of interesting sociological arguments and outlined a programme for future research. Using CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) as a case study and drawing upon an accumulation of British research, this paper follows Meier's research recommendations and attempts to answer some of Meier's questions. It is shown that, contrary to Meier's beliefs, CND is a remarkably homogeneous and class-bound mass social movement. It is argued that a focus on the component parts of the peace movement necessarily leads to the political sociology of nation-states.

The social bases of environmentalism in Australia

“…class. The expansion of the public sector has also given rise to 'statist class' accounts (Mattausch 1989). …”

“…Seemingly inspired by Dahrendorf (1959Dahrendorf ( , 1988, authors such as Mattausch (1989) and Kriesi (1989) suggest the formation of new classes based upon public sector employment. The new class members are supportive of new social movements, including the 'eco-pax' movements.…”

“…The new class members are supportive of new social movements, including the 'eco-pax' movements. McAdams (1987), and conservative authors such as Moynihan (1972), Ladd (1978) and Kristol (1972Kristol ( , 1975Kristol ( , 1978 According to Mattausch (1989) Mattausch rejects Parkin's notion of middle class radicalism, which suggests that CND supporters opt for welfare and creative occupations because of family socialisation experiences prior to working. Instead, he argues that career training results in attitudes favourable to supporting new social movements.…”

“…Location in the so called 'new class', especially among the social and cultural and human services categories produces the largest class effects on environmental dependent variables, lending some support to the hypotheses of a number of new class theorists (for example, Parkin 1968, Gouldner 1979, Kristol 1975. Parkin 1968, Kristol 1975, Offe 1985, McAdams 1987, Mattausch 1989). …”

“…Even Lipset himself Lipset 1991, Clark et al 1993) began to question the utility of class as the central explanatory concept in political sociology, suggesting it had "declined in its ability to explain social and especially political processes" (Clark et al 1993:293). Parkin (1968), Offe (1985), and Dalton (1988); the culturalist 'new class' theories of Gouldner (1979), Eckersley (1989), and Inglehart (1977, 1990a; and the 'statist class' interpretations of authors such as Mattausch (1989). Whereas the 'old middle class' is often conceptualised as a heterogeneous category of small owners and non-manual workers, the 'new middle class' is a finer cut, comprised of more clearly circumscribed occupational groups.…”