Social stratification and electoral behaviour

Abstract

The chapter analyses the main transformations of social stratification that occurred between the early 2000s and the late 2010s. Relying on the post-Fordist social class scheme elaborated by Daniel Oesch, the chapter investigates how these transformations are associated with significant changes in the electoral behaviour of the various post-Fordist social classes, with particular reference to the vote for left-wing parties. The analysis is divided into two interrelated analytical dimensions. The first one looks at the electoral behaviour of the different post-Fordist social groups in the four growth models. The aim is to show whether and how the voting propensity of social groups for left-wing parties follows a common trend or whether it is possible to identify cross-model differences. The second one scrutinises the changes in left-wing parties’ constituencies. The chapter investigates the weight of the manual worker class within the left-wing electorate and its change over time, as well as the new configurations of social classes’ coalitions supporting left-wing parties. The empirical analysis shows that the post-Fordist social groups’ electoral behaviour varies considerably according to the growth model considered. The comparative analysis also points out that left-wing parties have undertaken different response paths to the change of social stratification.