The Effects of Social Class Identification on Participatory Orientations Towards Government

Abstract

This article calls into question the common claim that class identity does not matter for American political behaviour. Using panel-study data spanning thirty-two years and two generations, we investigate the effects of social-class identity on five participatory orientations towards government. As expected, working-class identifiers in both generations consistently display lower levels of involvement in politics than do middle-class identifiers. Significantly, however, these differences typically persist when the analysis controls for objective indicators of class and are always enhanced among those who retain the same class identity over time. Rather than sustaining a conclusion that class identification has little relevance for Americans, the results suggest that class may be particularly important in the present political context.

Generational Responses to Job Security, Traditional Class Division, and the American Dream

“…Three variables are analyzed as dependent variables: Job satisfaction, class division, and the American dream. The decision to analyze these particular variables is influenced by the leading notion that the economy and people's perception of progress in this area is the main indicator for political participation (Walsh, Jennings, & Stoker, 2001). There are three graphs in total; one for each of the dependent variables.…”

China’s rising middle class: A case study of Shanghai college students

“…Previous studies (Eulau, 1956;Nie et al, 1969;Verba & Nie, 1972;Sherkat & Blocker, 1994;Goodman, 1999;Walsh et al, 2004;Johnston, 2004;Chen & Lu, 2011;Goodman, 2016) indicate that there are two approaches to the definition of the middle class: subjective and objective. Supporters of the subjective approach believe that a social class is part of the individual's overall psychological self-concept (Centers, 1949;Eulau, 1956;Walsh et al, 2004) and as such it is based on the way individuals think of themselves as a social group.…”

“…Supporters of the subjective approach believe that a social class is part of the individual's overall psychological self-concept (Centers, 1949;Eulau, 1956;Walsh et al, 2004) and as such it is based on the way individuals think of themselves as a social group. This psychological attachment affects the people's political beliefs and attitudes towards the economy, politics and political leadership, and the social structure.…”

“…All of these attributes may form a foundation for the development of a democratic society. Many studies suggest that the middle class may become a harbinger of democracy (Eulau, 1956;Lipset, 1981;Moore, 1993;Walsh et al, 2004). They state that the middle class develops an awareness that its ability to maintain its status and economic footing in the society hinges on the protection of its individual rights, particularly for the ownership of property, the key to their wealth and success.…”

Ciudadanía activa y la transición a la adultez en México

“…Distintas aportaciones sugieren que la participación política es un privilegio ejercido por agentes con cualidades muy específicas: los más educados, los más adinerados, los mejor posicionados dentro de la sociedad son aquellos que se vinculan de manera más densa y sostenida con el tratamiento de asuntos públicos (Milbrath y Goel, 1977;Verba et al, 1978;Verba et al, 1995;Burns et al, 2001;Klesner, 2009;Walsh et al, 2004;Jarvis et al, 2005;Mannarini et al, 2008).…”