Middle Class Disengagement and Civics Education

“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”- Plato. The general elections are over. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been returned to government with a reduced number of seats in the Lower House of Parliament at 35. The People’s National Party (PNP) however doubled their seats to 28. The Dr.Andrew Holness led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been re-elected to form the Government for a record third consecutive term in the party’s history, following victory in the General Election held on Wednesday (September 3), while, the Mark Golding led People’s National Party will once again be in opposition for a third consecutive term. Both political parties engaged in a robust and spirited campaign. Both political parties were able to bring out hundreds of supporters to their various rallies across the length and breadth of Jamaica. Importantly, the size at a political rally is not a true indicator regarding which party will be victorious at the polls. There are other factors such as ensuring your supporters vote on the day of the election. There are numerous individuals who support their political party of choice, however, they do not vote. Some will contribute financially and or give support in other ways. Interestingly, the Don Anderson’s poll leading up to the election showed that the PNP was slightly ahead of the JLP. In the Sunday Gleaner of August 31st, 2025, the Don Anderson’s poll stated that the PNP had opened up a gap over the ruling JLP with three days prior to the election. 37.6% of the respondents indicated they would vote for the PNP compared to 34.5% of respondents who indicated they would vote for the JLP. Notably, 23 % remained undecided. We all know that this prediction did not materialize. Without a doubt the only poll that really counts is the one on Election Day. In the aftermath of the general elections a lot of reflections are taking place both at a party level as well as on an individual level. Members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observation Mission (CEOM) monitored Jamaica’s 2025 General Election across 36 constituencies in 12 parishes. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observation Mission (CEOM) has commended Jamaica for its preparation and conduct of the September 3 General Election, noting the absence of voter intimidation or harassment. This was disclosed by Mission Chief, Fern Narcis, who presented an overview of the country’s electoral process, based on observations at polling stations monitored by her team. Is Voting Being Left to the Working Poor?. The lines of demarcation regarding social classes have blurred over the years. Those who were once considered middle class years ago are now struggling economically. Defining the middle class in Jamaica is complex with different perspectives highlighting education, stable employment, property ownership, a modest but stable lifestyle, and economic security, as traditional markers. However, these traditional markers are increasingly elusive, and factors like high costs of living and stagnant wages blur the lines. Is there a Jamaican middle class myth? The rapid decrease of our purchasing power due to inflation is perhaps the largest barrier to defining middle class. Many years ago a Jamaican with a college degree was automatically placed in the middle class; now, we have unemployed college graduates. The repercussion of a shrinking middle class is troubling. A society with a weakened middle layer is one in which inequality expands, political apathy grows, and social unity erodes. Historically, the working class in Jamaica voted for the People’s National Party given the party’s thrust on social issues, such as Maternity Leave with pay and the establishment of the National Housing Trust. On the other hand, the middle class in Jamaica were more in favour of the Jamaica Labour Party given that party’s propensity to growing the economy. Voter apathy is perhaps at the highest level among the so called middle class. An increasing number of Jamaicans who can be identified as middle class based on income levels and educational attainment do not vote. This reality is supported by the relatively low voter turn-out in the recent general elections which stood at just under 40%. More and more Jamaicans are avoiding this civic duty to participate in the governance process. Over the last few general elections the vocal minority has elected the government. The retreat of the middle class from voting is problematic and does not speak well about our electoral and governance process. The vocal minority are unlikely to vote on issues or spend the time to interrogate the manifestos of the political parties. The time to examine the implications this shift will have on voting behavior and governance is now. Our political parties should not be satisfied with such a low voter turnout as this is not good for our democracy and democratic principles. Recently, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes warned that avoidance of jury duty by the middle classes and those living in gated communities has placed a disproportionate burden onto the working poor. “As soon as they get the jury notice, they are either suffering from any ailment short of cancer, or the business or enterprise that they are in realizes that this person is so indispensable. If they come to jury service, the business will literally have to close,” said Sykes. What is dealignment?. With new employment patterns and changing attitudes within society, evidence suggests voters are less likely to vote according to their class than in the past. The term given to the movement away from class-based voting is dealignment. Political analysts would argue that the factors affecting voting behaviour are inter-linked. An example of this would be how social class is linked to other long-term factors, eg geography, age or gender. However, evidence suggests that around 40% of the electorate continue to vote according to their social class. This means social class remains one of the most important factors affecting voting behaviour. Death of Civic Responsibility. We should not be surprised that many Jamaicans have turned away from their civic or civil duties. The society has not been intentional in making the teaching of Civics compulsory in our schools. We have taken an ad hoc approach and likewise the citizenry have also taken a similar approach to such responsibilities. Civic responsibility is the active, constructive participation in community and public life to improve society for the common good. It involves a conscious effort to be informed about public affairs, to hold certain values like respect for others, and to take action, whether by voting, volunteering, or advocating for important causes, to foster social equality and a better quality of life. Those who are tasked with this awesome responsibility must make the necessary policy changes to address this issue. Recently, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, questioned whether Americans understand the difference between a king and a president. Sotomayor, who addressed a “Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit”, decried the lack of education about civics and how democracy works. Sotomayor also called for civic education to be required in law schools. On the other hand, Jamaica should revisit the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) to ensure that civic education is integrated as a critical component at both the primary and secondary levels. One can argue that the ideological uniqueness of the choices offered to voters by the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party has narrowed over the years. As a result, voters’ class-have become more relevant to their political choices and the link between social class position and party preference has gained momentum over the years. It is crystal clear that our political parties must revisit their messaging to engage the middle class. In the words of Marcus Garvey, a people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©