Class gaps in perceptions of political voice

Liberal Democracies 1974–2016

Bibliographic Data

ID6406596
AuthorsLine Rennwald (0000-0003-3471-5955, University of Geneva, corresponding author), Jonas G Pontusson (0000-0001-8550-9022, University of Geneva)
Year2022
Volume45
Issue6
Pages1334-1360
Publication date2022-09-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402382.2022.2046419
OpenAlexW4221036701
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited33

This article explores the role of occupation, education and income on individuals’ perceptions of being politically represented. Based on ISSP surveys in 19 liberal democracies between 1996 and 2016 and a cross-national survey carried out in the mid-1970s, we analyse responses to the statement that ‘people like me do not have any say about what the government does’. We show a clear occupational and educational hierarchy in perceptions of being politically represented (or having a political voice), with routine workers and skilled production workers perceiving themselves as much less well represented than upper middle-class professionals. Analysing changes over time, we show that class gaps were already large in the mid-1970s and increased further over the following decades. By contrast, class gaps were stable over the period from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s. Most strikingly, we observe a sharp decline in perceived political influence among unionised workers since the 1970s. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2022.2046419

Class (philosophy · Democracy · Demographic economics · Economics · Government (linguistics · Hierarchy · Liberal democracy · Perception · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Social class · Sociology · Survey data collection · Labor Movements and Unions · Law · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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