Political parties: are they ignoring growing inequality?

Political parties: are they ignoring growing inequality?

A current study by the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” at the University of Konstanz, published in the “American Political Science Review,” sheds light on the social consequences of economic inequality. The study also focuses on the lack of consideration of these topics in the election programs of political parties. The lead author of the study, which is now known for its attention to detail, is Alexander Horn, research group leader of the Emmy Noether group “Varieties of egalitarianism” ( uni-konstanz.de ).

The main results of the study show alarming trends: political parties in Germany and internationally, including those particularly considered to be left-wing, largely ignore the thematic urgency of economic inequality. This includes neglecting significant income gains among wealthy sections of the population. The failure of both left and right parties to respond to these developments reveals fundamental structural weaknesses within the democratic system.

Structural distortions of democracy

The results suggest that changes in economic inequality do not lead to adequate policy responses, particularly from right-wing parties. Reasons for this could lie in structural distortions, in the visibility of the richest people and in the mobilization hurdles of poorer groups, which are at the same time reinforced by a meritocratic justification of the current, unequal status quo. Policy responses are often limited to points in time when inequality has risen to the point where it can no longer be ignored as more and more people fall below the median income due to economic regression.

These findings aim to highlight the structural weaknesses of democratic processes. The study authors use an innovative methodology that involves evaluating 850,000 statements from election programs in 12 OECD countries over a period of 50 years (1970-2020) using so-called online crowdcoding.

Political inequality and participation

But the ignorance of these economic disparities is not only reflected in the election programs, but also in political participation. Political inequalities have increased recently. The central promise of democracy, “one man, one vote”, is therefore at great risk. Studies show that growing economic inequality has a significant impact on political participation ( bpb.de ).

Overall voter turnout is declining, with women under 60 voting more often than men. In contrast, people from less educated backgrounds and low incomes participate significantly less. An overwhelming majority of members of the Bundestag have a university degree, while lower education and income groups are underrepresented in political representation. This unequal representation has far-reaching consequences: the interests of politically active and better-educated groups often receive more attention, while the considerations of poorer and less educated citizens are largely ignored.

Consequences of political apathy

The political abstinence of uneducated and low-income people has dramatic effects on the legitimacy of democratic processes. People with little education are less likely to bring their interests into politics, which means that the interests of uneducated and low-income citizens are no longer adequately represented. This development can lead to political alienation and increase the likelihood that defecting voters will turn to extreme parties. Reform measures are urgently needed to address these grievances and establish political equality ( bpb.de ).

To close the gap of political inequality, political representatives should take into account the interests of all citizens. Greater self-advocacy measures for politically weakly represented groups could promote initiatives to improve political participation. Measures to include marginalized groups in participatory processes are essential to improve the quality of democracy and give all citizens a voice.