Abstract
The current gentrification policies in many shrinking cities in France and the United Kingdom provide a wealth of options for analyzing the neoliberalization of urban policies in what they contribute to the restoration of " class power " , i.e. the power of real estate interests, in relatively poor spaces. This article calls to mind the joint action of two major factors to report on the generalization of this phenomenon. On a national scale, I will touch on the recent evolution of urban policies of the French and UK central governments which both favour " social diversity " as a solution for getting out of the " urban crisis " although for different reasons. On the local scale, I will then show how present representations of the post-industrial city make it possible to depoliticize the redevelopment issues and foster the emergence of growth coalitions whose action in favour of gentrification is based on very real economic and political interests. In shrinking cities, gentrification policies thus make it possible to excavate an evolution of class power, from industrial capitalism toward real estate capitalism. I will finally propose replacing the concept of " gentrification policies " with strategies for " moving upmarket " in order to reflect the subsequent modification of urbanization frameworks in many declining western cities.