Compromising positions: emergent neo-Fordisms and embedded gender contracts

This paper adopts a regulation framework to chart the emergence of neo-Ford ism as a flexible accumulation regime and mode of social regulation. Neo-Fo rdism relies on old Fordist principles as well as incorporating new models of emergent post-Fordisms; old and new social relationships, in their parti cular combination, specify the trajectory of national variants. I argue tha t Fordist bargains institutionalized the terms of a compromise between labo ur, capital and the state. These bargains embedded a male-breadwinner gende r contract compromising women's positions and standardardizing employment c ontracts around the needs, interests and authority of men. A focus on compr omises and contracts makes visible the differentiated gender effects of wor k transformation in each country.