Starter – Odd One Out

Voting Behaviour - Social Class A division of a society based on social and economic status. "people from different social classes and walks of life“ Upper, Middle and Working Class Folk? The Class System

Lesson 4 –Social Class and Voting Behaviour Learning Intentions (Pupils should be able to): Explain what is meant by the term ‘social class’. Describe one way social class is measured. Describe the link between social class and voting behaviour. Explain the extent to which social class remains an important influence on recent voting behaviour.

Market Research Social Class Scale What is Social Class? A person’s social class is a measure of their status in society. Social class is usually measured in terms of occupation, income, professional qualifications, housing type, etc. According to the Market Research definition of social class, Social Class A would be higher managerial e.g. accountant, lawyer, etc., whereas Social Class E would be the poorest groups in society including long-term unemployed or those in low wage employment/manual labour. Market Research Social Class Scale A Higher managerial Non-manual Lawyer B Lower managerial Non-manual Teacher C1 Skilled supervisor Non-manual Senior technician C2 Skilled manual Manual Plumber D Unskilled manual Manual Labourer E Disadvantaged e.g. unemployed Poor

It has long been recognised that one of the most important factors affecting voting behaviour overall has been the influence of social class. Up to the 1980s, it was argued that the majority of voters in the UK tended to vote according to their social class. This meant that the majority of people in Social Class A (formerly the middle classes) more often voted for the Conservatives, as they were the party who traditionally favoured low taxation or policies that tended to benefit the better off. On the other hand, the majority of people in Social Class E (formerly the working class) more often voted Labour, as traditional Labour policies tended to support the poorest in society e.g. support for the Welfare State. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix60t9dyAHQ

This trend in voting patterns highlighted a strong level of partisanship (positive attachment to a political party). Remember - ideologically the Labour Party was always viewed as a socialist party – it stood for the redistribution of wealth in order to solve the major differences between the rich and the poor. Particularly in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, the Labour Party believed that large industries such as gas and electricity showed be owned by the state. In contrast, the Conservative Party advocated for less state interference in individual lifestyles and leaving most economic decisions to happen naturally through the free markets. This distinctive party identification (similar to attachment to a football club for example) was passed down from generation to generation.

Knowledge Round-up A social class is generally taken to be a set of individuals who share certain economic/social characteristics, which collectively give them a similar attitude to life in general and to politics in particular. Traditionally Conservatives appeal more to the ABC1 classes and Labour to the C2/D/E. In the 2015 UK General Election, the Conservatives received 43% of votes from those in the ABC1 classes whilst 41% of votes from the D/E classes went to Labour in 2015. Labour have their CORE VOTERS - they are “working” class and live in particular Labour ‘heartlands’ – Midlands, Scotland etc. They read the Sun or the Daily Record. The Conservatives know that their core vote lies with the private sector employed middle classes (people who work for private companies with mid to high earnings). They live in the suburban areas and usually read the Telegraph or The Times. Analysis – There is still clearly a link between social class and voting behaviour. Those from less well off backgrounds are more likely to identify with the Labour Party due to their policies on welfare and education whilst more affluent voters associate with the Conservatives thanks to a continued focus on lower taxation and freedom for big businesses.

HOWEVER…both class voting and partisanship have declined since the 1970s. Studies of voting behaviour show that there has been a reduction in the number of people voting according to their class. Although there is still an important link between social class and voting behaviour, the link is not as strong as it once was. For example, according to the Ipsos/MORI polling organisation, at the 2010 UK General Election of those who turned out to vote, the Conservatives attracted 39% of all AB voters compared to 29% of AB voters who voted for Labour. On the other hand, Labour gained 40% of all DE voters whereas only 31% of D/E voters opted for the Conservatives. Studies of voting behaviour in recent elections show that most people do not vote according to their social class. This movement away from social class as the biggest influence on voting behaviour is known as dealignment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix60t9dyAHQ

Dealignment Class has become less important in recent elections because of: Changes in the labour market – Prof. Ivor Crewe has argued that the decline in traditional heavy industry in the UK, the increase in female workers and improved access to higher education have eroded many of the differences between classes. Nowadays people are less likely to see themselves in Social Classes D or E. As disposable incomes have increased, people regard themselves as ‘further up the social ladder’. Decline in party membership/identification: in 1961, 44% of voters were “very strong” supporters of either the Conservatives or Labour but by 2010 this had dropped to just 12% of voters. Political parties now have to work far harder to attract “floating” voters who do not have strong party allegiances.

Dealignment continued Third party choice – For many years the Liberal Democrats and the SNP in Scotland have been credible voting alternatives. In the last thirty years both these parties have attracted considerable support in elections, have won UK parliamentary and Scottish parliamentary seats (SNP Scottish Government/Lib Dem coalition in Scotland) or have been the dominant party in local councils elections. In the 2010 General Election, the Liberal Democrats polled 24% of the vote, won 57 seats and formed a coalition with the Conservatives (Cameron-Clegg era). In the 2015 General Election the SNP won 56 out of 59 Scottish seats and attracted 50% of the vote in Scotland, becoming the 3rd largest party overall in the UK Parliament.

Dealignment Some people have never voted according to their class because: In classes AB some better off people have always voted Labour despite the fact they may be better off financially voting Conservative – known as “middle class radicals”. This may be because they are well paid so they wish to support a party that tends to help the poorest more or gives support to working people e.g. introduction/extension of Minimum Wage. In classes DE some poorer people may vote Conservative (although they might not personally benefit) because they aspire to a ‘higher class’ or hold conservative values. Known as working class Conservatives or “blue dog Conservatives”. They may also feel the Conservatives provide more opportunities for people to ‘rise and go’ or that the Conservatives have better policies on managing the economy, education or law and order.

Knowledge Round-up Many critics have argued that the link between social class and voting behaviour has become weaker in recent years. This is known as dealignment. In the 2015 Election, the Conservatives did much better than expected with lower income C2 and DE voters - 32% of C2 voters chose the Conservative party in 2015. Politicians know that the nature of social class in the UK has changed. The “traditional working class” has shrunk. It has been replaced by a “new” working class which does not have the same automatic party loyalty (to Labour) thanks to changes in the labour market and a rise in the number of C1/C2/D voters obtaining higher education. Furthermore, the middle classes have grown in size but they are not loyal to any single party either in part, because of the rise of so called “third parties” such the Liberal Democrats and the SNP. As a result, political parties such as Conservative and Labour are now/attempt to be “catch all parties”, seeking to build policies which will create a “big tent” of voters across the social classes. Analysis – Although in the past social class was perhaps the most crucial indicator of voting behaviour, it is clear that it has recently become less significant as a result of dealignment and the rise of short-term factors (such as the influence of leadership and the media) in persuading modern voters.

Social Class and Voting Behaviour NOW Whilst it could be easy to suggest that social class has no impact on voting behaviour nowadays the truth is that it IS still an important factor to consider. Figures from the most recent elections show that the Labour Party remains the most popular with “working class” voters and the Conservatives the most popular amongst the middle class. What this suggests is that OTHER factors now have GREATER influence over voters which then combines to create a more sophisticated system of voting behaviour influence than in previous decades. For example, many people in Scotland now see the SNP as a more “left-wing” party than Labour and so Labour has lost ground to the SNP in Scotland in recent elections. In England, manual/unskilled workers in the south are far more likely to vote Conservative than professionals/managers in the north of the country where Labour has higher support across all classes…Does this link back to the decline of industry in the north associated with Margaret Thatcher?

Further Analysis Points It could be argued social class as an influence on voting has not gone away, it just has a more sophisticated effect. Core voters will remain with their party on the whole as they are ideologically driven. They feel that their party best represents them, although they may not realise this. HOWEVER, people are less defined by class nowadays and other factors influence on voting. The middle classes are more likely to switch their vote. The new working classes do not have the same automatic loyalty to Labour, particularly in Scotland. Political parties are now ‘catch all parties’ seeking to build policies which will create a ‘big tent’ of voters across the social classes.

Diagram Task Create a flowchart which illustrates the impact of social class on voting behaviour from the 1970s to the present. Use the following words to help you: Dealignment Partisanship Catch all Social Class Changes

Social Class and Voting Behaviour Explain what is meant by a person’s ‘social class’. Using examples, describe the Market Research definition of social class. i) Describe traditional social class voting behaviour. ii) Give reasons for traditional social class voting behaviour. 4. Using examples from the 2010 General Election, what evidence is there that social class remains an influence on voting behaviour. 5. What is meant by the word ‘dealignment’? 6. What are ‘middle class radicals’ and ‘working class Conservatives’? 7. Give, in detail, three reasons which explain recent class dealignment.

Evaluate the influence of social class on voting behaviour. You should refer to voting behaviour in Scotland or the United Kingdom or both in your answer. HG Practice Paper 2 Analyse the influence of the media on voting behaviour. You should refer to voting behaviour in Scotland or the United Kingdom or both in your answer. 2018 paper To what extent is age the most influential factor on voting behaviour? You should refer to Scotland or the United Kingdom or both in your answer. New Specimen Paper 1 To what extent are some factors more important than others in influencing voting behaviour? You should refer to voting behaviour in Scotland or the United Kingdom or both in your answer. 2015 Paper