Due to the distinct social values and beliefs represented by each party, the working class population primarily would vote for the Labour party and the middle class would vote for the Conservative party. This was strengthened by the fact that people want to belong to a group which has power and influence, similarly as what they would have when supporting their local football team. PJ Pulzer a political scientist stated in 1967 that; 'class is the basis of British party politics;all else is embellishment and detail' ,PJ Pulzer, in his statement, made it clear that social class was well above the media in terms of influencing the public until the early 80s. Has this power slipped or does class still remain strong. Nowadays, the media has an overall influence in who people vote for.
The separation of the views held by these two very prominent classes can be seen in the way that they vote, upper classes typically vote Conservatives to look out for their themselves and their future whilst the working classes, obviously, favour Labour which, if in power, would look out more for those in the working class with less regard being given to those of the upper classes. This essay will look at this trend to establish whether 'a link still exists between class and voting' and to what extent this is still the case by considering other factors such as age and religion. To understand the link that exists between class and voting it is necessary to understand that there are six main social-economic levels, from this model it is easier to explain where the upper and working class divide is split – Those that are of the A-C1 category are considered more likely to vote Conservative, whilst those in C2 to E are more likely to be in favour of Labour. Social Classes in the UK Class level | Economical/Employment position | Class A | Higher managerial and professional workers | Class B | Middle managers and professionals | Class C1 | Clerical workers | Class C2 | Skilled manual workers |
Side-taking in 1642 was not determined by class.’ How far do you agree with this view? - Counter argument, that class was a determining factor about which side to fight for. However, on the other hand, it can be counter argued that the decision to take sides during the civil war was based primarily on class and determined by socio-economic status, wealth and ultimately the class structure of the 1640’s. As Antony Fletcher states, ‘popular support was crucial to the parliamentarians’ strength.’ (Source 8) The word ‘popular’ highlights the important emphasis on the masses and that class was a deciding factor. It was the middle sort who made up the mass of the population and therefore to say their support is crucial is also to say that stereotypically, the middle sort were those who fought for and supported the ideology of, parliament.
From the Labour Party being formed of the Trade Union and the Labour Representation Committee, this means that the Labour party traditionally represented the working class in a political manner in Parliament. Whereas, from the Conservatives being traditionally formed of higher class and of a social elite background, as Disraeli was, the Conservatives have traditionally represented the
During that time social class played a big influence in the way people would vote. People were seen being either middle or working class, depending on the jobs that they had and also the amount of education they had, which proved to make a difference between the social classes and the preferred party of people in those classes. Most people would go for their party that seemed to have their best interests. Same of the working class would vote for the Labour party and the majority of middle class would vote for the Conservatives. An average of 90 per cent of voters supported these two major parties.
Nowadays both Labour and Conservative claim to represent people from the whole of society and moved further to the centre and policies have gradually become more similar. For most of the twentieth century, the Conservative party was truly conservative when it came to ideology; that is, rooted in pragmatism and the belief in gradual improvements through experience and existing institutions. This was known as paternalist conservatism which focused on pluralism and social inclusion, and they believed that whilst authority should be centralised the state should be benevolent and caring for the neediest. Whereas nowadays, they are commonly referred to as one-nation Tories who are committed to; a mixed economy, more significant state intervention where necessary, slow gradual change; evolution not revolution, support for the universal welfare state and increasing European integration. The Labour party was formed to represent the working classes when society had not yet started to provide for these groups.
The majority of people in Britain are seen as middle class. Therefore, it could be argued that middle class cultures and identities are seen as normative as most of the society is middle class. The media also represents this through television, film and print media. The media also emphasizes this by representing other classes as negative and a threat to the society. This essay is going to use examples from the media to support the claim that middle class is represented as normative.
Importance of Social Class in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations Social class played a major role in the society depicted in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations. Social class determined the manner in which a person was treated and their access to education. Yet, social class did not define the character of the individual. Many characters were treated differently because of their social class in Great Expectations. Seeing the contrast between how the poor and the rich were treated will give a clearer understanding of how much social class mattered.
Is Inequality Meritocratic? Meritocracy is where social positions are filled according to an individual’s merit. Merit often refers to an individual’s talents, abilities, effort and choices that are seen to be either in high demand or deemed worthy. Around the world, many countries believe that societies should enable people to have equal chances to develop their potential. This was built on the idea of human dignity or respect for people which slowly unfolded with the liberal revolutions in Britain.
What are the possible causes of uncertainty about identity in contemporary society? Introduction Define identity and the factors that shape it. State essay topics to be discussed – social class Main body Marx and Weber views Luton study – instrumentalism – importance of life outside work Saunders – consumption – voting patterns Compare Luton and Saunders Destruction of class – changes in work patterns – end of unions Conclusion Personal opinion – low value of class – consumerism reigns Identity is a way of describing who we are both as individuals and as members of larger groups. Identities can be formed by both structural and agency means and are shaped by factors such as gender, ethnicity, status, race and social class. This essay will attempt to show causes of uncertainty about identity due to changes in the area of social class.