The Dimensions and Impact of Political Discontent in Britain

Bibliographic Data

ID6312227
AuthorsWill Jennings (0000-0001-9007-8896, University of Southampton, corresponding author), Gerry Stoker (0000-0002-8172-3395, University of Canberra), Joe Twyman
Year2016
Volume69
Issue4
Pages876-900
Publication date2016-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueParliamentary Affairs (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0031-2290 • E-ISSN: 1460-2482
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/pa/gsv067
OpenAlexW2274489622
LanguageEN
Citations received30
References cited19

Political discontentment remains a pressing issue for UK parliamentary democracy that needs to be better understood. We offer a range of theoretical perspectives on dimensions of political disaffection and seek to measure them with substantially new survey measures that assess how citizens perceive the performance and motivation of politicians. Our results indicate that the public’s critique of politics and politicians takes a number of different forms, which varies in predictable ways across social groups and according to other political and attitudinal measures. Mainstream parties are ensnared by political discontent but other parties can be beneficiaries of it. We show that discontent is at least as important a driver of Ukip’s support as social, cultural, demographic or economic factors

Democracy · Mainstream · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public opinion · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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