ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the number of reasons are put forward to support the argument that this general view of owner-occupation and social relations is limited and inaccurate. Turning to housing institutions and agencies, a similar picture emerges of owner-occupation being seen as a positive influence on social relations. Despite these qualifications, there is, however, perhaps little to choose between normative Marxist and status quo views of the role owner-occupation plays in structuring social relations. To sum up this long series of extracts from a variety of sources, despite considerable diversity in terminology and differences in theoretical starting point, the central and uniting theme is that owner-occupation is seen to have a powerful and independent impact on social relations. The phrase ‘social relations’ is here taken to mean the economic, social and political attitudes and aspirations, and actions and behaviour, of people in the tenure.
