Class identity, class-based appeals and political descision making

This paper explores the role of social class and class identity in political decision-making, focusing on how class-based appeals influence public opinion and voter behavior. Drawing on existing research on partisan cues and group-based appeals, we conduct two experimental studies to examine how political parties and candidates can mobilize voters through class-based rhetoric, policy positions, and the social identity of the speaker. The first study, conducted in Switzerland, investigates the effect of class identity on voter support for arguments related to redistributive policies, specifically in the context of a direct democratic vote. The second study, in the United Kingdom, examines whether policy statements are more persuasive when coupled with class-based appeals, and how these appeals affect candidate support across different social classes. Both studies consider the interaction between class identity strength and the effectiveness of class-based appeals, hypothesizing that individuals with a stronger class identity will be more responsive to such appeals, particularly when presented by a speaker of the same social class. Using two-wave panel surveys in both countries, the research contributes to understanding how class identity shapes political preferences and the strategic use of class-based appeals in political communication.