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Socialist Review Index (1993–1996) | Socialist Review 174 Contents
From Socialist Review, No. 174, April 1994.
Copyright © Socialist Review.
Copied with thanks from the Socialist Review Archive.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
North and South
David Smith
Penguin £7.99
This is an interesting book which aims to look at the economic, social and political divide between the north and south of Britain.
David Smith’s argument is that a divide between north and south still exists and that this divide will determine whether you have a job or how wealthy you are.
He backs up his argument by exploring the differences in wealth, wages, investment, job opportunities and house prices. Although he does admit that there are rich areas in the north and poor areas in the south, Smith also asserts that it is geography which determines a person’s position in this society.
This new edition of the book has been rewritten to take account of the 1990s recession. Smith blames the recession completely on John Major. But although Smith argues that the recession has narrowed the divide, he believes it still exists.
Just looking at unemployment figures undercuts any idea of a north/south divide. For example, Cornwall in the south west of Britain has always had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and according to Smith’s own 1992 figures most regions in the south east had higher unemployment rates than the north west, Yorkshire and Humberside.
There is never any mention of class differences, and no mention of the fact that since the 1980s the majority of working class people have got poorer and an elite at the top of society has got richer. Smith’s answer to poverty and inequality is to provide regional aid to certain areas rather than any redistribution of the wealth which does exist.
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