Background
to the
Research
- The popular image of NI
politics is of a sectarian conflict between two monolithic religious
communities, Protestant and Catholic. Despite this popular interpretation,
economic conditions and the political conflict in NI remain closely
associated. However, the extent to which economic beliefs differ between
Catholics and Protestants, the causes of any variations, and how they
may differ from their British counterparts, has rarely been investigated
empirically.
- This chapter examines popular
economic beliefs in NI, how they differ by religion, and their contribution
to both party support and to preferences for a constitutional solution.
Consideration is also given in this chapter to how they differ from
economic beliefs in Britain.
Research
Approach
- In order to analyse the economic beliefs
in NI, the NISA surveys, conducted since 1989, have consistently asked
respondents' views on five questions, (largely based on parallel questions
asked in the British Social Attitudes Survey) ranging from redistribution
of income and wealth, to views about business management.
Main
Findings
- The data reveals, at least as far as economic
beliefs are concerned, the NI electorate would be characterised as more
left-wing than right-wing. On average, however, 13 per cent more Catholics
than Protestants support the left-wing view on each of the five questions,
which suggests a much stronger economic reformist base of support among
Catholics than among Protestants.
- In comparing the economic beliefs of the
two NI communities with those in the three nations in Britain, Protestants
are much closer in their views to the English than are Catholics. In
turn, the economic beliefs of Catholics are closest to those of the
Scottish.
- Education is a more important predictor
of economic beliefs in NI than it is in Britain, which may reflect the
diversion of political debate in the province away from material concerns,
so that it is only the better educated who adopt firm views on such
matters.
- In terms of economic beliefs and partisanship,
there are significant variations among supporters of the main political
parties. The parties whose supporters are the most economically conservative
are the Ulster Unionists and the Alliance Party. The most economically
radical within the Protestant community are the supporters of the
DUP. DUP supporters are only slightly less radical than the SDLP supporters,
though substantially less radical than Sinn Fein supporters.
Conclusions
- Despite continuing political polarisation,
the results show that it is socio-economic differences and not religious
differences which distinguish economics beliefs within NI.
- As a group, Protestants are significantly
more likely to favour a more conservative approach to the question of
economic management than their more radical Catholic counterparts.
- The impact of these economic divisions
continues even when political affiliation and constitutional preferences
are considered.
- Results suggest that economic issues represent
a potential middle-ground for politicians within NI. Political leaders
who wish to transcend the current religiously- based constitutional
divisions would be advised to concentrate on these economic issues.
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