American Political Science Review · 2002 · 258 citations · 20 references
Social SciencesPolitical ScienceSociologyPolitical BehaviorPolitical ParticipationPolitical SociologyCivic EngagementElectoral ParticipationPolitical EngagementPolitical MobilizationSocial ClassVoting Behavior
Political activity generally rises with income, yet senior citizens’ engagement with Social Security actually falls as income increases because lower‑income seniors depend more on the program. The study finds that higher‑income seniors are less likely to write letters, vote, or contribute to Social Security, while lower‑income seniors—who depend more on the program—are more active, illustrating a rare instance of lower‑class mobilization on an economic issue.
Decades of participation research show that political activity increases with income, but the participation of senior citizens specifically with regard to Social Security poses an exception to this pattern. Social Security-oriented participation decreases as income rises, in part because lower-income seniors are more dependent on the program. The negative income-participation gradient is especially pronounced for letter writing about the program, but even Social Security-related voting and contributing are less common among higher-income seniors. This is an instance in which self-interest is highly influential: Those who are more dependent are more active. It is also an example of lower-class mobilization with regard to an economic issue, something quite unusual in the United States.
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Voice and equality: civic voluntarism in American politics
Choice Reviews Online · 1996 · 5.3K citations