Post-materialism Versus the Welfare State?

Abstract

Theories of contemporary social democracy suggest parties of the left may have to alter their views on the welfare state and shift their emphases in policy priorities to remain electorally competitive. In this article, we examine the structure of opinion within the New Democratic Party with regard to conventional welfare state policies, ideas on equity and post-materialist issues. We find no evidence of a muted egalitarianism or increasingly selective support for the redistributive agenda of the welfare state, and little evidence of internal party divisions rooted in a middle-class defection from the traditional programs of the welfare state. Nor is there a materialist-post-materialist division within the party. Our data show that post-materialist inclinations increase with support for a class redistributionist, materialist policy agenda. Our findings cast doubt on the `new politics' thesis that post-materialist agendas will crowd out materialist policy issues and add to skepticism concerning an imminent post-materialist redefinition of social democratic strategic and policy choices.