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Ronald Inglehart\u2019s discussion of\u00a0changing values explains the neglect of working-class individuals and their needs\/wants. Inglehart notes how Western post-industrial societies have become more secure due to the welfare state and post-war era (Inglehart, 2006, p.685). Materialist values of economic and physical security are thus losing their emphasis,\u00a0giving more of a focus to postmaterialist values such as self-expression and free choice (Inglehart, 2006, p.685). Thus,\u00a0more secure lifestyles and\u00a0taking survival for granted, is shifting political agendas to include issues around the environment, gender, and\u00a0sexuality (Inglehart and Norris, 2017, p.443). This shift in political issues negatively impacts those in Western societies that do not experience complete material security as the survival struggles of deprived members of society is de-centred (Inglehart and Norris, 2017, p.443). Therefore, in a majority who do experience secure lifestyles, topics such as the provision of FSM is one which drops off the political agenda. Additionally, at the time of Rashford\u2019s campaign, 65% of Johnson\u2019s cabinet were privately educated which is a demographic that further perpetuates the ignorance to working-class struggles (The Sutton Trust, 2020). Sobolewska and Ford add conviction to Inglehart\u2019s\u00a0discussions by highlighting the impact of ethnocentrism. In the presence of ethnocentrism, people tend to view society as different groups, and they place their own group at the centre of everything (Sobolewska and Ford, 2020, p.24). Where government members are mostly not working-class, they do not identify with the problems that they face. Therefore, Inglehart\u2019s concept of postmaterialist values combined with ideas around ethnocentrism provide convincing insights into why government responses to the needs of deprived children were poor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Alternatively, the effects of globalisation can explain the government\u2019s hesitancy to meet the needs of the working-class. The process of globalisation has led to increased global interconnectedness between states and non-state actors, thereby rapidly transforming the communication of ideas and the movement of people (Haynes et al, 2011, p.10). Growing immigration patterns have altered the demographic of the electorate whilst also encouraging new conflicts between migrants and anti-immigration traditionalists (Kriesi et al, 2006, p.923). Such global changes are re-shaping the structure of political spaces and giving rise to new social movements (Kriesi et al, 2006, p.924). Consequently, changes are prompting political parties to reposition their values and identities to fit with the concerns of their electorate (Kriesi et al, 2006, p.925). This would explain why policies aimed at tackling gender or ethnic discrimination are growing in popularity, whilst examples such as Rashford\u2019s FSM campaign continue to highlight the overlooking of class struggles. However, it may be that British class politics is not in decline, but rather it is changing its structure. The traditional class cleavage is now a conflict between protectionist policies and national competitiveness in the global markets (Kriesi et al, 2006, p.924). So, perhaps there is only a perceived change to the salience of class issues, and rather, they have not become less prominent because of new issues arising. Overall, globalisation has transformed the domestic political spheres, creating new movements which governments must respond to and shifting existing concerns down the priorities list of the policymakers. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To conclude, the two main reasons why the wants and needs of the working-class are often disregarded or not heard is due to changing political values and the effects of globalisation. Inglehart offers useful explanations of the movement from materialist to postmaterialist values to address why it is that working-class struggles have dropped down on political priority lists. Furthermore, though globalisation theories may have exaggerated the decline of class concerns in British policymaking, they also make persuasive explanations for changes to legislative behaviour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Bibliography<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams, T. (2021). Marcus Rashford: the making of a food superhero. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2021\/jan\/17\/marcus-rashford-the-making-of-a-food-superhero-child-hunger-free-school-meals<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200cBBC (2020). Marcus Rashford: Government changes decision on free school meals – CBBC Newsround. <\/em>www.bbc.co.uk<\/em><\/a>. [online] 8 Nov. Available at: https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/newsround\/54862230<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Haynes, J., Hough, P., Malik, S. and Pettiford, L., 2013. World politics: International relations and globalisation in the 21st century<\/em>. Routledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200cInglehart, R. (2006) \u201cRonald Inglehart. 1971. \u2018The Silent Revolution in Europe: Intergenerational Change in Post-industrial Societies.\u2019 \u2018American Political Science Review\u2019 65 (December): 991-1017,\u201d The American political science review<\/em>, 100(4), pp. 685\u2013685 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2017). Trump and the Populist Authoritarian Parties: \u201cThe Silent Revolution\u201d in Reverse. Perspectives on Politics<\/em>, 15(2), pp:443\u2013454 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kriesi, H., Grande, E., Lachat, R., Dolezal, M., Bornschier, S., & Frey, T. (2006). \u2018Globalization and the transformation of the national political space: Six European countries compared.\u2019 European Journal of Political Research<\/em>, 45(6), pp:921-956 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marcus Rashford forces government U-turn after food voucher campaign – CBBC Newsround. (2020). <\/em>www.bbc.co.uk<\/em>.<\/em> [online] 16 Jun. Available at: https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/newsround\/53061952<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sobolewska, M. and Ford, R. (2019) \u2018British Culture Wars? Brexit and the Future Politics of Immigration and Ethnic Diversity,\u2019 The Political quarterly<\/em> (London. 1930), 90(S2), pp. 142\u2013154 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sobolewska, M. and Ford, R., 2020. Brexitland. Cambridge University Press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Storm, I., Sobolewska, M. and Ford, R. (2017) \u2018Is ethnic prejudice declining in Britain? Change in social distance attitudes among ethnic majority and minority Britons,\u2019 The British journal of sociology<\/em>, 68(3), pp. 410\u2013434 <\/p>\n\n\n\n