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Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nicholas Carnes,
Published in: Legislative Studies Quarterly
January 2012

Working-class citizens have been numerically underrepresented in policymaking institutions throughout most of America‟s history. Little is known, however, about the political consequences of this enduring feature of our democratic system. This essay examines the relationship between legislators‟ class backgrounds and their votes on economic policy in the House of Representatives during the 20th century. Like ordinary Americans, representatives from working-class occupations exhibit more liberal economic preferences than other legislators, especially those from profit-oriented professions. These findings provide the first evidence of a link between the descriptive and substantive representation of social classes in the United States.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Legislative Studies Quarterly

Publication Date

January 2012

Volume

37

Issue

1

Start / End Page

5 / 34

Related Subject Headings

  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 4408 Political science
  • 1606 Political Science
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Nicholas Carnes, . (2012). Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter? Legislative Studies Quarterly, 37(1), 5–34.
Nicholas Carnes, H. “Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter?Legislative Studies Quarterly 37, no. 1 (January 2012): 5–34.
Nicholas Carnes. Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter? Legislative Studies Quarterly. 2012 Jan;37(1):5–34.
Nicholas Carnes, H. “Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter?Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 1, Jan. 2012, pp. 5–34.
Nicholas Carnes. Does the Numerical Underrepresentation of the Working Class in Congress Matter? Legislative Studies Quarterly. 2012 Jan;37(1):5–34.

Published In

Legislative Studies Quarterly

Publication Date

January 2012

Volume

37

Issue

1

Start / End Page

5 / 34

Related Subject Headings

  • Political Science & Public Administration
  • 4408 Political science
  • 1606 Political Science