The UK social elite: Is politics their playground?

Faced with the recent overwhelming presence of Elon Musk in US politics and his newfound influence, it is important that we turn to consider our own country. What is the relationship between wealth and political power in today’s ‘democracy’? This raises questions about the UK, and whether anything similar is – or could be – happening right under our noses.

A key term that appears when discussing the social elite’s influence on politics is social mobility, which, according to LSE (London School of Economics), is “how likely we are to climb up (or fall down) the economic or social ladder”. An LSE study found that in the UK social mobility has decreased, meaning that may of us are destined to remain of the same social standing as our parents.

For those from wealthy backgrounds, this is reassuring. But for those who come from low-income families lower on the social ladder, these findings convey a serious restriction. Low social mobility implies that social inequality is similarly fixed, visibly impacting UK politics.

LSE describes the “Great Gatsby Curve”, a graph demonstrating the correlation between income inequality and social immobility in the UK. As one increases, so does the other. Introduced by economist Alan Krueger, the curve demonstrates how the wealth of one generation is replicated in those that follow. Taking the Great Gatsby Curve into account, this inequality in wealth traps the population in a vicious cycle: those who earn less money are restricted to their position in society, reinforced further by the impact of the wealthy with the liberty to sway politics in their favour.

As those who are socially disadvantaged display less participation in the vote, those who do participate gain a greater influence

The modern political scene in the UK is heavily influenced by the social elite. Those with access to higher education, social and economic capital have a much larger impact than those lower on the social ladder. The Fairness Foundation, a third-party organisation that assesses the country based on its ‘fairness’ based on a variety of factors, collates other third-party studies to present combined findings. The foundation demonstrates how social immobility in the UK allows the elite to heavily influence our politics. Since the elite have a larger impact, it becomes clear that votes are not therefore fully representative of the population as a whole.

Those in lower social classes are underrepresented, and there is further evidence that gender, race and disability also come into the equation. The Fairness Foundation states that there is evidence of reduced participation in politics from those who are socially disadvantaged, reflected by a low turnout in general elections. As those who are socially disadvantaged display less participation in the vote, those who do participate gain a greater influence, further moving away from a system where the vote was representational of the whole class spectrum. The rise in popularity of right-wing parties is mostly due to those who feel that their own social status has diminished relative to others, demonstrating how a lack of involvement with politics reinforces the elite’s potential to control any political outcome.

Through lobbying, the wealthy have another means of getting their voices heard in the political scene, whereas voting and petitions appear to be the only options for those outside these circles

Members of wealthier social groups can also influence politics in the UK through lobbying. Lobbying can be enacted by individuals or large companies who aim to convince the government or specific members of parliament to change, implement, or abolish policies in line with their business interests. Through lobbying, the wealthy have another means of getting their voices heard in the political scene, whereas voting and petitions appear to be the only options for those outside these circles—let alone the disadvantaged, whether due to gender, race, disability, or income.

Another way the wealthy can exercise power over our politics is through donations. For example, the Fairness Foundation highlights how governmental housing policy was heavily influenced by donations and lobbying from individuals and companies whose interests clashed with initiatives aimed at improving living conditions, significantly reducing the likelihood of these policies being implemented. Such examples highlight how the elite in this country have heavily influenced aspects of the country’s politics in their favour, rather than advocating for initiatives that would widely benefit those who are disadvantaged.

So how can we combat this? Whilst the situation in the UK is not as concentrated as the current situation in the US with Elon Musk, we can see how our own politics are not completely free from the control of our own social elites. Even though their input seems to be in the background, it is still present and detrimental to those whose interests do not align with their own.

The key reasons for their influence outlined so far have been: social immobility, vote involvement, lobbying and donations. Going one by one, we can outline ways to regain power in our political environment and combat any chances of the UK following in the footsteps of the US.

By voting ourselves and encouraging others to do so, the weight of elite groups will decrease, producing a fairer result

Social immobility is a large issue that does not just affect us here in the UK. While it will take a large effort, there are small things we can do and work towards that can help to reduce its impact. For example, encouraging education amongst low-income families by providing more opportunities for the socially disadvantaged to succeed, whether that be in specific areas such as STEM or in the workplace by advocating for positive discrimination to help break the boundaries imposed by social immobility.

Vote involvement is much easier to combat. It is vital that everyone who has the ability does vote, as without the input of a broad range of voices, our votes not only lose power against those of the socially elite, but undermine the vital changes the system has undergone previously, whether that be women’s right to vote or even having a democracy in the first place. By voting ourselves and encouraging others to do so, the weight of elite groups will decrease, producing a fairer result.

Lobbying and donations remain behind the scenes, or at least their impact is not widely focused on in the UK media. In finding out about them – where they are happening, who is involved and why – people can campaign against them. Presenting concrete opposition may reduce their influence, where acknowledgement prevents lobbyists from hiding behind the safety of anonymity and ignorance.