Saturday, September 23, 2017

PS172

Subject

- Women in parliament is not considered as a class, it is a sector.

- Does the change in representation change the election patterns?

There has been a radical political development indicated by the issue of Brexit Referendum
of April 2017(?). David Cameron (then PM) succeeded by Theresa May. David Cameron
stepped down as the leader in the conservative party and as well as the PM. Theresa May
succeeded Cameron as the leader of the party. If the PM steps down, there has to be a new
leader. The British system of accountability is at work. Question of Camerons credibility.
Theresa May became the PM by virtue of leadership succession. She called for snap
elections to call for a new mandate. Eventually led her to call for a special general elections,
June 2017. Still dominated by the conservative party but it was not enough to win the
majority.

Hump parliament - no one party won most of the seats (50% + 1)

Forced to form a coalition gov. between Conservative party (Theresa May) and the Liberal
Democrats. Labour party considered as the main official opposition party.

- Class Based Voting

Working class - some are richer/ at par in terms of income compared to the middle class
though they still identify themselves as working clas

- Background on the change of social class

1980s - 21st century

- cause and effect relationship

- 1980s - dominant capitalist countries (UK included) was hit by economic crises/
recessions/depressions. (Interplay between economic and political conditions) Labour
Class comprised of mining (coal) and industrial workers. The working class launched
strikes. The strikes lasted for several weeks and months. Margaret Thatcher became the
prime minister of the conservative party. (Time of Ronald Reagan). She was called the
Iron Lady. Used coercive power to end the strikes by unleashing police forces to attack
the strikers. Many leaders were imprisoned (most were connected to the Labour Party).
Reason: If I dont do this, Britain will plunge to political instability.

At that time, Britain was being attacked by the IRA.

Neo-Liberal Globalization - started under Margaret Thatcher.

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- privatisation of gov. corps. and services combined with the use of repressive power
against strikes.

Doctrine of Contractualization - started under Margaret Thatcher

- as a means of dividing the unions.

- you dont hire a regular employee. Any worker of contractualization loses the right to
strike and unify.

Social Welfare Program, tinamaan

- nagsasaad ng tax, as high as wala nang maiwan sa wage mo. But they still assure
you that taxes will go back to you, in terms of insurance - if you lose your job, theyll
take care of your housing, car, etc. They give you a percentage of medicare from
your own taxes

- This was significantly reduced by Margaret Thatcher.

Social-Econ consequences:
- reduction in subsidy for real public education

- reduction of social services

- These yielded changes in social stratification.

- By the year 2000, there was a new social system. According to British sociologists and
based on the findings of their surveys, they came up with a new social demography/
class demography in Great Britain. No longer the classic class system, monarchy, elite,
middle class, working class (social pyramid).
- Elite - This is the wealthiest and most privileged group in the UK. They went to
private school and elite universities and enjoy high cultural activities such as
listening to classical music and going to the opera.
6%
- Established middle class - This is the most gregarious and the second wealthiest
of all the class groups. They work in traditional professions and socialise with
a wide variety of people, and take part in a wide variety of cultural activities.
25%
- Technical middle class - This is a small, distinctive and prosperous new class
group. They prefer emerging culture, such as social media, and mix mainly
among themselves. They work in science and tech and come from middle-
class backgrounds.
6%
- New affluent workers - These people are economically secure, without being well-
off. This class group is sociable, has lots of cultural interests and sits in the

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middle of all the groups in terms of wealth. They're likely to come from
working class backgrounds.
15%
- Traditional working class - This group has the oldest average age, and they're
likely to own their own home. They mix among themselves and don't enjoy
emerging culture. Jobs in this group include lorry drivers, cleaners and
electricians.
14%
- Emergent service workers - These young people have high social and cultural
capital - so they know people from all different walks of life, and enjoy a wide
range of cultural activities - but are not financially secure.
19%
- Precariat - The poorest and most deprived social group. They tend to mix socially
with people like them and don't have a broad range of cultural interests. More
than 80% rent their home.
15%
New precariat class is a dangerous class; they may be the people involved in
rebellions/ radical change. They may bring a restructuring of the whole
system.
Social class formed by people suffering from precarity - a condition of existence
without predictability or secutiry, affective material or psychological
welfare. Cause of this condition: neo-liberal capitalism

Attributed the new class system to Neo Liberal Capitalism.

New Lower Class - New Affluent Workers, Traditional Workers, Emergent Service Workers,
Precariat - constitutes 48%.

- Thatcher wanted to bolster the new industrial area of I.T. (Information Technology), even at
the expense of other areas (mining, etc.); the only significant remaining are is WAR
TECHNOLOGY. I.T. was the introduction to war tech.
this would explain the rise of the technical middle class. Explains the decline in
the percentage of traditional workers
government also promoted services in lieu of I.T. (hotels, privatization)
- Labour Party - stands for gradual reform and active participation in the elections.
- Wealth became concentrated in the elite and the upper middle class. Those conditions
may have raised the income of the remaining working class who were absorbed
by the IT industries, because IT still means the working class.
- Most affected: working class.
- What used to be working class in Great Britain are now the Precariat; Precariat came
from the Working Class.

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Precariat is an economic definition which pertains to a condition where a person in
Britain doesn't have a regular job. He has been reduced to a condition of
precariousness, instability.
2017 elections: Voters no longer vote for party identity absolutely. Many voters crossed
party lines. There were more conservative voters who voted for the labour
party. There was a shift from a voting pattern from one that is classed based to
one that could be because of economic problems.

Voters who were under 45 years old - tend to vote for Labour Party
Voters who were 45 years old and above - tended to the conservative party.
Traditional class voting was challenged.
More women voters voted for Labour Party (under 45 years old).
Voters who were highly educated threw their support to the Labour Party
Ethnic Minorities/ Black/ Minority (long term citizens who include the Filipinos, etc.) went in
favour of Labour party
High turnout was driven by young and minority voters.

Class based voting is no longer absolutely true.

PHILIPPINE SOCIETY OF REVOLUTION - 1972 BOOK IN CAS

Lumpen Proletariat (equivalent of Precariat in the Philippines) - members are usually the
victims of Operation Tokhang. Exploited by drug sellers. Cannot fight back sa
government with anything but their bare hands.

The demographics that divide UK today.

Class, age, gender, income, education shapes the electorate. STILL SHAPED BY
ECONOMICS. ECONOMICS IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE. In the Philippines, anti-
drugs and corruption was the single biggest issue. It should have been jobs and poverty;
drugs are but a manifestation of poverty.

Age is the new dividing line in British politics; new key predictor of voting intention in British
politics.

The more educated a person is, the more likely theyre to vote for Labour of Liberal Democratic.
As education rises, number of votes for the Conservative party falls.

There has been a gradual evolution to how the class system was changed.
Back then there were 2 social classes, then 6 in the 20th century, then 7 in the 21st century.

British population is relatively steady (about 4% change).

Proceedings in the house of commons are much like conversations but with a formal structure.
The chamber is also made in a way that invites that conversation

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More info:
(http://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure-book-livre/document.aspx?sbdid=1b08a55c-743c-47db-
92e0-898d41340504&sbpid=77160c1a-3ffa-4793-8b4d-41987000e6d4)

CHAPTER 4: POLICY ALTERNATIVES

That is how the british electorate are educated; guided on how they decide on voting the MP,
who is ok na mag represent sa mga tao niya.
The conservative party - holds the status quo in Great Britain (kaya AKA traditional party).
Representation in class/ econ. interests. Conservative and Traditional Inst.: monarchy,
aristocracy, business elite, military, church, public school system. Policy alternative is not
only for the election; if you are the pol. party that wins the election, in your 5 years as the
ruling party, you are expected to implement the policy alt. that you campaigned for in the
elections.
Something that in british pragmatism is not absolute. Not absolute in the sense that they always
change their position every time

Labour party- social democratic policy, goes by the need for development and growth and
improvement of life of the britons and depends on morals and ethics. Not marxist
because it subscribes only to political reformism; gradual reform. If marxist, youll
advocate for sweeping reforms. Used to represent the working class and the young
professionals. However, now they also support sections of the middle class based on the
7 class system. That is why sometimes the labour party is seen as more conservative
than the conservative party because it doesnt show any indication of radical reform. Its
reformist block is within the status quo. Divided between the left and the moderate.
Some of the members of the labour party belonged to the communist party of Great Britain.

CPGP (now CPB, communist party of britain - 800 members)- Communist Party of Great Britain.
1920 as marxist-leninist pol. party. split in 1988 and the mainstream became the CPB,
the other formed the democrat party, others were absorbed in the labour party.
The dividing line was that the mainstream member of the communist party didn't want to unite
themselves with the EU.
Participate in elections in 1997, didnt call for revolution but they wanted Political Reformism
just like the Labour Party but until now they have not won any single seat, just like other
minority parties.

The labour party no longer enjoys a solid electoral base (eg. industrial working class). Its
becoming a middle class party

Parliament = supreme body

Cabinet = prime minister party

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House of Lords = bigger, 1200 members,

House of lords= no power in enactment of bills pero their role is to balance the house of
commons. they can delay legislations

Chapter 6 - Executive and Policy Making

Government = prime minister

Cabinet represents the policy alternative as well as the overall political party in the house of
commons. if theres a division in the cabinet, theres a division in the political party that
weakens the party and the government because its the cabinet that defines the
legislative agenda of the government.
Last resort = vote of confidence on the prime minister; do you still want the prime minister to stay
or not. they havent done that for the past 20 years.

CHAPTER 1-9 + SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

ARE IN THE MIDTERMS