Between Market and Morals: How Political Socialization Shapes the Divided Voting Preferences of the Dutch Upper-Class

This thesis explores the fragmented voting alignment of the Dutch upper class (de werkende bovenlaag) by analyzing how political socialization shapes ideological orientation. While traditional class-based voting models have lost explanatory power, the divide within the Dutch upper class remains striking. Individuals vote for either economically liberal parties such as the VVD, culturally progressive parties like GroenLinks-PvdA, or centrist liberal parties like D66 that fall somewhere in between. The literature review discusses existing theories, such as rational choice theory and post-materialism, which offer important context for understanding upper-class political behavior. However, this study adopts the Brahmin Left vs Merchant Right framework (Gethin et al., 2022) as its main conceptual lens, combined with the theory of political socialization, to explore the underlying motivations behind voting choices within this social group. Using a qualitative methodology, 13 semi...Show moreThis thesis explores the fragmented voting alignment of the Dutch upper class (de werkende bovenlaag) by analyzing how political socialization shapes ideological orientation. While traditional class-based voting models have lost explanatory power, the divide within the Dutch upper class remains striking. Individuals vote for either economically liberal parties such as the VVD, culturally progressive parties like GroenLinks-PvdA, or centrist liberal parties like D66 that fall somewhere in between. The literature review discusses existing theories, such as rational choice theory and post-materialism, which offer important context for understanding upper-class political behavior. However, this study adopts the Brahmin Left vs Merchant Right framework (Gethin et al., 2022) as its main conceptual lens, combined with the theory of political socialization, to explore the underlying motivations behind voting choices within this social group. Using a qualitative methodology, 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who meet the Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau’s criteria for upper-class status. Thematic analysis reveals that participants’ political identities are shaped by childhood upbringing, education, and especially professional environments. An individuals’ class background and sector of employment emerge as the most influential factors in shaping political preferences among the upper class. While some participants aligned their vote with economic self-interest, others emphasized values such as solidarity, environmentalism, or cultural openness. Many described internal tension between these influences, showing that political identity is often shaped by both personal values and social context. This research contributes to the understanding of elite political behavior by emphasizing the role of life course and personal narrative in shaping voting decisions. It offers qualitative depth to frameworks often analyzed quantitatively and suggests new pathways for studying ideological division among socioeconomic elites.Show less

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Between Market and Morals: How Political Socialization Shapes the Divided Voting Preferences of the Dutch Upper-Class