electiveHQ

This module introduces students to the politics of inequality in the advanced capitalist democracies of the world. We consider the following questions: can liberal democracies solve the problems of contemporary capitalism? If there are more poor people than rich people in liberal democracies, why don't the poor soak the rich? Has the middle class been growing or shrinking? Does inequality impact party politics, electoral competition, and voting behaviour? Are capitalism and democracy complementary, or conflictual? To what extent is economic inequality undermining the conditions for liberal democracy? The course is organised into five parts. First, we analyse basic concepts and theories in the study of capitalist democracy (weeks 1-3). Second, we examine the structural transformation of capitalism from the post-war period to the present day (weeks 4-5). Third, we analyse the empirical trends in income inequalities (week 6-7), before discussing wealth inequalities (week 8-9). Fourth, we examine the whether economic inequality shapes voting behaviour within capitalist democracies, and discuss why inequality differs so much between market economies (weeks 10-11). To conclude, we will ask whether the political and policy response to the global financial crisis in 2008-2010 has exacerbated inequalities, and led to rising support for nationalist politics? (week 12). Throughout the module I will make reference to contemporary political events, and link these back to what we’re studying. This will include events related to the impact of globalisation and technological change; austerity; the changing labour market dynamics of social class; the brave new world of central banking and financialisation; corporate tax avoidance; rising nationalism; and populism.