Japanese to English Social Sciences Government / Politics Chinese history

しかし、これまでみたように、国家コーポラティズムからの何らかの変動があるとすれば、利益媒介構造・配置・媒介を「従属変数」ととるか、あるいは「独立変数」ととるかの判断によって道が大きく分岐してきたことだけは確かであろう。

I realize that this won't make much sense to anyone who hasn't read the preceeding 40 pages, but...

I have no idea what this is supposed to mean in context. The sentence is discussing the two paths that trade unions in China have been presented with. One is for them to be "independent" and the second is for them to be "passive" (an intermediary or interest agent as noted above) I'm having a hard time understanding how they can be a 配置. A placement, posting? there aren't any defs in my dictionary that make much sense here :)

Thanks as always,
Ben