Flag of the Italian Federation of the Left
Dr Anthony Kevins
The link between left-wing parties and the working class used to be taken as a given. But does the left still stand up for workers?
Since the 1980s, the laws protecting workers – whether on the job or in-between employment – have been considerably weakened. Most strikingly, some of these laws have been passed by what were traditionally considered “working class parties” on the left.
When and why do some left-wing parties push back against this trend? This flag from the Federation of the Left, a now-defunct alliance of leftist Italian parties, was given to me by a representative that I interviewed while researching this question.
To me, it points to the difficulty left-wing parties face as they navigate between two stereotypes: a modern, “cosmopolitan” left that’s accused of having turned its back on the working class; and a traditional, “backward looking” left that’s accused of being stuck in another era.
More about Anthony’s Research
- Read the book he wrote on this question
- Read co-authored research investigating which groups parties reach out to in their manifestoes
