From Class to Catch-All: The Evolution of Political Rhetoric in the German Bundestag (1950-2021)

In this paper, we examine the transformation of class appeals by political parties in the German Bundestag, focusing on the period from 1950 to 2021. Historically, the relationship between the working class and left-leaning parties has been strong, with class-based appeals serving as a core element of political mobilization. However, with significant structural changes in post-industrial economies, such as labour market diversification and shifts in occupational structures, the efficacy of these appeals has likely declined. This study examines how political parties have shifted their focus from explicit class-based appeals to more catch-all rhetoric in their parliamentary speeches in response to demographic and economic shifts. We hypothesize that explicit references to the working class have decreased over time across the political spectrum. Additionally, we propose that the effect of party affiliation on the frequency of these appeals has diminished, with populist radical right parties in recent years increasingly adopting rhetoric traditionally associated with left-wing parties to target the working class. To explain these shifts, our theoretical framework draws on Strategic Positioning and Issue Ownership Theories to explain these shifts. According to these theories, political parties adjust their rhetoric to maintain relevance within an evolving political landscape characterized by new economic and social cleavages. Hence, we expect mainstream left-wing parties, traditionally associated with working-class issues, to have increasingly adopted broader, inclusive language, moving away from explicit class appeals to focus on themes like environmentalism and social justice. This shift has likely contributed to the weakening of traditional working-class support, as these group of voters may perceive their economic concerns as deprioritized​​. These shifts are not merely rhetorical but reflect deeper realignments in party competition, where populist parties have gained ground among voters who feel left behind by traditional left-wing agendas​. By analyzing legislative speeches from the GermaParl project (1950-2020), we employ a dictionary-based approach and regression analysis to capture and explain shifts in class-related rhetoric across parties. This research contributes to the broader understanding of the interplay between changing class structures and party strategies in post-industrial democracies, addressing questions of how class remains a relevant, yet evolving, dimension of political competition. The implications of our findings will shed light on the ongoing realignment of political identities and the persistence of class-based inequalities within contemporary political discourse.