‘Voting is no longer a matter of loyalty to a social class. It is now a rational choice made by a consumer in a political market place’.
Discuss.
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‘Voting is no longer a matter of loyalty to a social class. It is now a rational choice made by a consumer in a political market place’.
Discuss.
There are a number of sociological arguments which support the view that we are all political consumers however there are also a fair number which oppose this view and offer a number of alternative explanations as to why the changing nature of voters has occurred. Voting behaviour has been established by such sociologists as Crewe to be ever changing by an unlimited number of effecting factors and so it is impossible to place it purely on the breakdown of true social class, the political groups which are invariably associated with these classes are becoming wholly open to all people from all warps of life and this has further encouraged the parties to weaken class based relationships and attempt to represent as wide a social class as possible; thus leading to our current political situation. However it is also fair to conclude that the sociological methods using to acquire the necessary data are not entirely accurate in portraying the current political situation and, although we can take previous studies and apply them to our present circumstances, many are out-dated providing vital flaws in the arguments presented.
Zomosh^^
Mine wont sound as good =]
But people are mainly voting nowadays on the party that will put their needs first.
A party that benefits them.
Yet parties are so mushed in eachothers ideologies that not many are being original and are telling the public what they think the public want to hear in order to win votes.
Unless you’re the BNP.
Then you are a crazy Psycho.
=]=]
Parties don’t change class loyalties or even weaken them, theyare weakened through external forces. The shift from a manufacturing economy in Britain to a service economy has led to less people being able to say “i work in a factory so i am working class”. This along with an increasing standard of living has led to the weakening of class loyalties and so parties have merely responded to this change in the electorate.