Class Cleavage

Class Cleavage Definition

Class cleavage refers to the conflict inherent in Western democracies, specifically the tension between competing left-wing and right-wing political parties. This concept is often used to analyse how societal divisions manifest politically; as articulated by Lipset, conflict among different groups is expressed through these political parties, which serve as a representation of the ‘democratic expression of the class struggle’.

Theoretical Basis

For scholars like Lipset, this form of class conflict is considered legitimate and domesticated, having replaced earlier, more socially disruptive forms of conflict. In this view, such managed conflict is a necessary precondition for maintaining a stable liberal democracy. Modern stable democracies are characterised by cleavage existing within a broad consensus regarding the political ‘rules of the game’, which arises from the gradual integration of lower classes into the political system.

Critiques

Lipset’s characterisation of class cleavage has faced academic scrutiny from two main directions. Firstly, some critics dispute the notion that the elimination of more traditional forms of class conflict is an inevitable secular trend in modern Western societies or a prerequisite for ‘liberal democracy’. Secondly, there is debate regarding whether a more fundamental realignment of class interests is occurring, suggesting that class may be being replaced as the primary basis for political cleavage.