Voting Behaviour - Sociological Flashcards
Social class - explanation
Social class is a measure of a persons status or position within society. There was strong evidence in the past that voters would favour a party according to their social class, with middle class people being more likely to vote for the conservatives due to their policies on low taxation and the working class favouring their collectivist policies such as support of the welfare state.
Social class - example
In the 1950s, 85% of AB voters voted for conservatives and 65% of DE voters voted for Labour in the 1950s.
Social class- Analysis
This shows that people who traditionally belong in the middle to upper classes (AB) are more likely to vote for right wing parties and people who belong in the working class (DE) are more likely to vote for left wing parties
Social class- rebuttal
However, it is clear to see that social class does not play as big of a role in voting anymore as there are fewer working class Labour voters and fewer middle-class Conservative voters. For example, in 1997, Labour achieved higher support among C1 voters, and the Conservatives defeated Labour among c2 voters in 1992
Social class - evaluation
To evaluate, the sociological model is important in explaining voting behaviour to a moderate extent as it was evident in the past that middle classes made up majority of the conservative votes, working classes made up most of the Labour votes. However, recent trends show a decline in class based voting due to changes in society and this is reflected in the growth of floating voters.
Age- explanation
Many younger people work on zero hour contracts or are on minimum wage meaning they could find it harder to find well paid secure jobs. Therefore, they are more likely to vote Labour or for a left-leaning party. By contrast, many retired voters had the benefit of the pre-austerity years, meaning that they got or had more money in the bank, equity in their houses, good pensions and high living standard. Therefore, older voters are more likely to vote conservatives or right-wing parties.
Age- example
For example, in the 2017 general election, 66% of 18-19 year olds voted Labour, compared to 69% of people aged 70+ who voted Conservative.
Age - analysis
This shows that age is a significant factor in voting behaviour and has become the new dividing line in British politics. Young people are more likely to vote Labour due to policies such as increasing minimum wage, and older people are more likely to vote Conservative due to their policies on lowering taxes which allow them to obtain a comfortable lifestyle and have more money for themselves.
Age- evaluation
To evaluate, the sociological model is important in explaining voting behaviour to a great extent. Younger voters may prioritise progressive issues such as climate change, social justice and education, which Labours policies are more focused on. In contrast, older voters might focus on stability, healthcare and retirement benefits which the Conservatives policies involve.
Ethnicity- explanation
Ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty and be on a lower income and therefore will benefit from policies such as increased minimum wage and more generous benefits. Minorities may also be immigrants, or their family have moved to the UK, and therefore will be more supportive of Labour’s stance on immigration rather than the Conservatives policies which focus on reducing immigration.
Ethnicity- example
In the 2024 General Election, Labour had a bigger lead among ethnic minority voters than white voters, with 48% of all ethnic minority voters and 33% of white voters. This contrasts with the difference between white and ethnic minority voters that voted for Conservatives, with 26% of whites and only 17% of all ethnic minorities.
Ethnicity- analysis
This shows that ethnic minorities are more likely to align with Labour’s policies, potentially due to the party’s focus on issues like social equality, benefits and the welfare state. The gap between ethnic minority and white votes suggests that the Conservatives party policies may not align with the needs of minority communities.
Ethnicity - evaluation
To evaluate , the sociological model is important in explaining voting behaviour to a great extent. Ethnic minorities are less likely to vote for conservatives, possibly due to feeling underrepresented, facing economic challenges and due to Conservatives strict immigration policies. Labour, however, is perceived as being more supportive of immigration and as the party that advocates for welfare, social justice and economic equality
