Description
Book SynopsisRecent years have seen an intensification of discussion on the issue of Britain''s political class. The question of who our politicians are is front and centre. Do they represent us? Are all politicians just in it for themselves? Are they disconnected from the lives of normal people? In The Political Class, Peter Allen argues that our current political class are in many important ways unlike the British people as a whole, and this matters a lot. Our politicians are currently largely drawn from limited sections of society, reflecting patterns of wider social and economic inequality which mean that, for many people, running for political office is almost impossible. This leaves us with a political class that can justifiably be described as uniform in who they are, what they think, and how they behave. Putting the state of British democracy under the microscope, Allen argues that having a more diverse political class would not only better reflect democratic principles of equality, but wou
Trade ReviewAllen's book, and the current political quagmire, make a convincing case that wholesale electoral reform - a phrase that has rarely quickened a newsroom pulse - should be higher up the agenda. * Daniel Clarke, Times Literary Supplement *
A valuable intervention which will provoke many to think about how we can and should make politics 'something that happens here with us and not there with them'. * Lawrence McKay, LSE Review of Books *
The balanced case for why educating future leaders in a few elite institutions is such a very bad idea. * Danny Dorling, author Do We Need Economic Inequality? *
The Political Class should become a key point of reference for those concerned about why parliament fails to reflect the make-up of the society it governs, and what exactly we can and should do about it. * Michael Kenny, Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Who or What is the Political Class? 2: The Case for the Defence 3: The Case for the Prosecution 4: How to Make the Political Class More Diverse Conclusion Notes Index
