OP WEG NAAR EEN NIEUWE POLITIEKE CULTUUR. (Dutch/Flemish)

This article attempts to understand why the traditional pattern of a leftist working class and a rightist middle class has declined over the years in many Western countries. Two explanatory theories are put forward. The material explanation suggests that because Western countries have become richer over the years, issues tied to class conflict have become less salient while new, cultural issues of individual freedom versus order have become more salient. The second explanation, focusing on the process of secularisation, suggests that cultural issues have become more salient as church membership has declined in these countries. The research investigates whether the emergence of a new political culture has weakened economic voting motivations for the working class to vote left and the middle class to vote right, whereas it has strengthened cultural voting motives leading members of the working class to vote right and members of the middle class to vote left. Hypotheses are tested using data from party manifestoes and the World Values Survey. It is concluded that as societies become more secular cultural issues become more salient, causing cultural voting motives to undermine the conventional pattern of a left-wing working class and right-wing middle class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culturele en immateriële thema's als vrijheid, orde en veiligheid zijn in de nieuwe politieke cultuur belangrijker geworden dan ‘oude’ economische thema's. Dit heeft in veel westerse landen geleid tot een verschuiving in stemgedrag: hettraditionele patroon van een linkse arbeidersklasse en een rechtse middenklasse is steeds verder afgekalfd. De ‘materiële’ verklaring voor deze ontwikkeling stelt dat door de toenemende welvaart economische kwesties steeds minder relevant zijn geworden, zodat immateriële thema's zoals vrijheid en emancipatie aan belang wonnen. Een tweede, godsdienstsociologische verklaring, stelt dat culturele thema's politiek steeds belangrijker zijn geworden door de toenemende ontkerkelijking. Peter Achterberg toetst deze twee verkiaringen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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