ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with those relatively 'sophisticated' forms of paternalism, which cannot be reduced to a simplistic unitarism. Paternalism is often associated with the small firm, where the size of the workforce enables top management to retain a personal contact with the shopfloor, and to do without specialist functions, like personnel. In this respect, a distinction should be drawn between the 'primitive' instinctive paternalism of small firms and the more 'sophisticated' paternalism of medium and large companies. Geographical position made the development of paternalist capitalism possible, by minimising the 'contaminating influences' of the outside world and by increasing local dependence upon the Mills. Hereditary family ownership and control has been central to British paternalism. One attraction of paternalism in the private family ownership stage is the 'preference of the long-term vision over the short-term presentation'. The chapter suggests an anatomy of paternalism, by comparing the characteristics of several industries and companies associated with it.
