Abstract
Overt and collective conflict between labour and management has been a lasting preoccupation of many people ever since strikes and lock-outs appeared on the industrial scene well over a century ago. From the beginning public authorities took great interest in strikes, and were quick to institute the business of counting and classifying them. The statistics they produced were and still are some of the most over-abused and least understood of man’s many attempts to freeze and condense richly dynamic social events into static, artificial, and misleadingly accurate arithmetic. And from the first, the indignation or self-satisfaction experienced from looking beyond one’s borders and comparing one’s own record with those of other countries has been one of the major attractions of stoppage statistics.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
The title of this paper is a corruption of Disraeli’s assertion—which the present author fully endorses—that ‘There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics’
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
List of Works Cited
Durand, C. (1973), Les Grèves de 1971: Pratiques Revendicatives et Orientations Idéologiques (Groupe de Sociologie du Travail, Université de Paris, V II).
Durand, C. and Harff, Y. (1973), ‘Panorama statistique des grèves’, Sociologie du Travail,15, 4, 356–75.
Hyman, R. (1972), Strikes (London: Fontana/Collins).
Kalbitz, R. (1972), Die Arbeitskämpfe in der BRD —Ausperrung und Streik 1948–68 (Ph.D Dissertation, Bochum University).
Kelsall, E. P. (1958), ‘A theoretical setting for the study and treatment of strikes’, Occupational Psychology,32, 1, I - 20.
Knowles, K. G.J. C. (1952), Strikes — A Study in Industrial Conflict (Oxford: Blackwell).
Ross, A. M. (1961), ‘The prospects for industrial conflict’, Industrial Relations, 1, 1, 57 — 74.
Ross, A. M. and Hartmann, P. T. (1960), Changing Patterns of Industrial Conflict (New York: Wiley).
Silver, M. (or Shalev, M.) (1973), ‘Recent British strike trends: a factual analysis’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, xi, 1.
Stearns, P. N. (1974), ‘Measuring the evolution of strike movements’, International Review of Social History, 19, 1, 1–27.
Turner, H. A., Clack, G. and Roberts, G. (1967), Labour Relations in the Motor Industry (London: Allen and Unwin).
Walker, K. F. (1969), ‘Strategic factors in industrial relations systems’, International Institute of Labour Studies Bulletin, No. 6, 97–209.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1978 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Shalev, M. (1978). Lies, Damned Lies, and Strike Statistics: the Measurement of Trends in Industrial Conflict. In: Crouch, C., Pizzorno, A. (eds) The Resurgence of Class Conflict in Western Europe since 1968. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03022-4_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03022-4_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-03024-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-03022-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social & Cultural Studies CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)