The Importance of Class to Voting Behavior Essay

Since 1970’s it is possible to conclude that there has been a decline in the influence of social class on voting behavior. In other words, a decline in the historical class-party link (the working classes are more Labour then Conservative and the middle classes are more conservative then labour).

First, those in the upper-middle class are usually salaried workers, have significant autonomy and prestige, have higher levels of education, work with ideas rather than performing physical labor, and are very active in politics, contributing money to political campaigns. Second, those in the lower-middle class depends on a mix of salaries and wages, have less autonomy and prestige than the upper-middle class, lack significant wealth, have lower levels of education, are generally routine production workers, and while they are politically involved, their participation does not typically extend beyond voting. Lastly, those belonging to the working class have the least wealth and education of all three groups, have limited prestige and autonomy, are involved in manual and physical labor, are less politically active, and often do not take satisfaction from their work (Marger 116-119).

If this statement were still applicable to today’s society, then it would establish social class as the most important factor of voting behaviour. The question is whether British society is still as clearly separated into two classes and whether the members of each class are still as aware of it as they seemed to be when the statement was made.

Between the years of 1945-1970 social class dominantly shaped the voting behaviour of individuals. Whilst there has been a decline in prominence of class voting: Labour remains the most popular working class party and Conservatives perform best among middle-class voters. Social classes are defined by economic and social

A very British problem is that of class and education which is not resigned to the past but is still an issue in representation. In Parliament MPs are predominantly middle-class with over four-fifths having a business or professional background. The manual working class is severely misrepresented in Parliament, even in the Labour Party, the main party traditionally most associated with the working class. In terms of education this is also a contrast between the larger society and Parliament, with more MPs being graduates and more having attended private school, especially in the Conservative party.

Democracy, by definition, is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives; a type of government where everyone 18 years old and older can vote. It is a privilege that the government of the United States of America has offered its people ever since the country was founded. Putting that in mind, why do people disregard that fact?

Society has developed the concept of social classes to classify and categorize people based on many attributes such as their income, reputation and even their appearance. At first, the many ways that society is divided up by can impact the way one’s status quo is formed by in relation to society. Social classes can determine your whole life, but only if you let them rule the decisions that you are destined to make in life. This can lead to the prevalent interactions that occur between people of different statuses in which the individuals that are involved gain a greater comprehension of the society that they live in. Such scenarios take place in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Another book filled with social classes and social norms is To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is also a superb example. The existence of social classes can alter and affect many areas in your life, such as one’s wealth, physical aspects, and even stature.

After reading through the journal article “Class voting in capitalist democracies since World War II: Dealignment, realignment, or trendless fluctuation” it was interesting to see how education and income didn’t play a part in how people associated with a political party. For example, those who are within the affluent class would usually conjoin with those in the republic party, while those amongst the lower or middle class would define themselves as democrats. Regardless of this belief, Manza, Hout, and Brook demonstrate that the left wing (or democratic) party is more about distributing the wealth and equal opportunity throughout the minority class. As a result, the left wing party speaks in favor of the working class. Additionally, the right

Firstly, some political scientists have questioned the representativeness of BES studies altogether (Mellon & Prosser 2015), which would cast doubt upon the usefulness of Figure 1. Furthermore, looking more closely at the Figure 1, what can be seen is that while Labour has increased its share of the vote with the wealthier classes, the amount of votes gained from the lowest two classes – the ‘Unskilled Working Class’ and ‘Skilled Working Class’ groups – has remained relatively steady over the time period. Hence, there is evidence to suggest that modern political parties still do better with the class they traditionally represented, even after Labour’s move to the centre ideologically. Therefore, while social class has certainly diminished in significance over the time period, it remains a somewhat important factor in explaining voting

The concept of party identification is believed to be developed at an early age, whether through parental influence, media influence, or personal choice, it is mainly shaped by outside influences continuing through adulthood. Researchers have concluded that often time’s adults identify with the same party their parents identified with. Thus, creating a trickling effect among generations, in which families as a whole identify themselves with the same party. The term “class” has a sense of ambiguity associated with it, and with good reason. What determines whether someone is upper class or lower class? Is it strictly associated with income levels? Does the issue of class and white Americans vary from region to region? Is class the most important factor in politics or do other factors have a more bearing influence on voter preference and identification?

Class is once again viewed as relevant to our understanding of British society. Complex approaches to class, class prejudice, meritocracy, and class boundaries are not remotely new. However, within the last five years, class has started to be reflected in intellectual discourse. New political concerns over inequality and neglect have seemingly sparked a minor renaissance in sociological studies, political policy, and punditry.1 This is in contrast to the dominant pre-2010 neo-liberal strategic denial of working-class issues, politics, and concerns within Britain noted by historian Jonathan

Over the past few years, questions over the role of social class and the working-class in modern Britain have been raised. The strata of British society have been discussed more frequently than at any other time I can remember.

Social classes in England are defined primarily by the kind of job people have, and how much money they make. Historically, social standing and class were a bigger deal, but today it is mostly just a distinction between the working class, middle class, and upper class.

What resource will be most helpful to you as you decide if and how to vote? How can you help prepare others for election day?

Social class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending