Social Class Essay
'Class is the basis of British politics: all else is embellishment and detail.' - Pulzer (1967)
Social class has traditionally been regarded as the most important voting behaviour factor, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s – as partisan alignment was very strong. In the 1950s, over 90% of people either voted for the conservative party, or labour. The party system significantly mirrors the class system. Thereby, middle-class individuals (classes A, B, C1) were expected to vote Conservative and the working classes (C2, D, E) were expected to vote labour. However, the link between social class and voting has diminished slowly over time due to a decline in the economy. In particular, the heavy manufacturing industry is in deterioration due to increasing competition overseas. As a result, there have been major changes: Firstly, there has been class de-alignment. The labour party, which is renowned for its pro trade-union stance – hence the support from the working class – has …show more content…
Regardless of the fact that the majority of Britons believe that they are working class, many politicians, Tony Blair, for one, believe in John Prescott’s statement of: "We are all middle class now," This shows that many individuals, even when they move up in class due to an increase in pay, cling to their working-class values. “The class divide is alive and well in Britain” – Kristy Swales, (NatCen’s Survey Centre). This is the most evident when it comes the recent Brexit referendum. Poorer areas were much more likely to vote for leave than they were to vote for remain. For instance, Cambridge had an estimated out-vote of 27%, compare this with Peterborough, a less well-off city of the same size, which had a predicted 62% out-vote. Evidently, there are still major signs of class-based voting in the United
Social class has traditionally been regarded as the most important voting behaviour factor, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s – as partisan alignment was very strong. In the 1950s, over 90% of people either voted for the conservative party, or labour. The party system significantly mirrors the class system. Thereby, middle-class individuals (classes A, B, C1) were expected to vote Conservative and the working classes (C2, D, E) were expected to vote labour. However, the link between social class and voting has diminished slowly over time due to a decline in the economy. In particular, the heavy manufacturing industry is in deterioration due to increasing competition overseas. As a result, there have been major changes: Firstly, there has been class de-alignment. The labour party, which is renowned for its pro trade-union stance – hence the support from the working class – has …show more content…
Regardless of the fact that the majority of Britons believe that they are working class, many politicians, Tony Blair, for one, believe in John Prescott’s statement of: "We are all middle class now," This shows that many individuals, even when they move up in class due to an increase in pay, cling to their working-class values. “The class divide is alive and well in Britain” – Kristy Swales, (NatCen’s Survey Centre). This is the most evident when it comes the recent Brexit referendum. Poorer areas were much more likely to vote for leave than they were to vote for remain. For instance, Cambridge had an estimated out-vote of 27%, compare this with Peterborough, a less well-off city of the same size, which had a predicted 62% out-vote. Evidently, there are still major signs of class-based voting in the United