TECHNOBUREAUCRACY ANO CITY LIFE other industrialised North European countries (such as Germany, Holland, the Scandinavian countries, etc.). Therefore, most of those that remained were the unskilled workers and their families. As the demand for cheap unskilled labour increased in these areas the native population was joined by immigrants from countries in the British Commonwealth and from the Mediterranean countries of Italy, Spain, Greece and so on. As the middle classes expanded in size and then expanded outwards during this century, the ex-middle class residences of the 19th century and the traditional working class areas (those that remained after the massive clearance programme of the post-war era) became the refuge for that part of the population who could not (either temporarily or permanently) or would not conform to the middle-class ideal of owner-occupation, nor qualify for ~uncil housing. Therefore, many of these older parts of Bri ain's cities either became or remained areas of houses in ultiple occupation (especially in the formerly prestigious 19th century residences) under private rental. THEINN CITY « PROBLEM » « Towa ds the end of 1976 among the endless reminders of Britain' economie predicament another theme was brought to public ttention: the urban crisis. "Task force needed for the cities' Shelted and others insisted, and the Secretary of State for he Environment gave the news officia! weight: "If cities fail, so to a large extent does our society. That is the urgency tackling the problem; and why it has to be of concern t everyone in this land". (Peter Shore, 17-9-'76). The Sunday T es picked up the theme, "Britain's cities are rotting at the core», it announced, "but now the Prime Minister has set up top level ministerial committee led by Peter Shore to establi a whole new policy for our cities". (28-11-'76). The urban risis was presented as acute, demanding immediate attention, oreover it was apparently a new problem to which new soluti ns must be found » (7). These ords of concem seem, at first sight, to echo the sentiments f horror of that small but influential part of the bourgeoisie of the 19th century which had noticed the condi- (7) CDP, lding the Ghetto. The State and the poverty experiments. Published Fe ary 1977, p. 3. 13
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