Is CLASS still a valid analytical category for understanding inequality in Europe? How can it help shape progressive politics?
This paper is one of the results of the fourth cycle of FEPS YAN.
Abstract:
The paper poses two main questions: Is class still a valid analytical category to understand the economic, political and social landscapes of contemporary Europe? How can class be useful in shaping progressive politics and policies? To answer these questions the authors unfold our arguments in accordance with the following steps: Firstly, they overview the theoretical background in the definition of class beginning from classic authors until the contemporary debate. Secondly, this explicatory analysis expands by looking at the evolution of category ‘class’ within the political economy lens. Thirdly, in order to avoid generalisation, the authors explore through two national case studies – Italian and
Bulgarian – the historical evolution in using the concept of class. In conclusion, they argue that previously, the ability to represent and defend class interests was fundamental in the political arena. By contrast, now, the contemporary class detachment is not only symptomatically expressed by a range of particularistic forms of mobilization but has also contributed to weaken the attractiveness of collective progressive policies within Parliaments. Lastly, the paper
highlights policy remarks in regards to whether the analytical category of class can return into the political narrative to understand and address the current inequalities. Thus, some policy recommendations are provided how to reintroduce an updated concept of ‘class’ as explicatory category on the distribution of economic and political power within the current period of political and economic crisis.