Voting Behaviour

Theories of Voting Behaviour

The Social Structures Theory

• Relies on Social Class
• Working class tends to vote for labour whilst the middle class votes conservative
• Butler and Stokes- teenagers are socialized into their political views by their primary influence- their parents.
• There are deferential working class supporters of the tories
• Peter Pulzer- 'Class is the basis of British party politics'
• Class dealignment

Party Identification Model

• Party identification is in decline
• Class alignment is linked to partisan alignment
• Between 1945 and 1970 there were high levels of party identification
• There has, however been a decline in the two party system as third parties have become more prominent such as the Lib Dems and now the SNP
• Coalition of 2010
• Failure to procure 70% of the vote in…