Research indicates that individuals employed in the private sector are more likely to hold right-wing, conservative, or market-liberal views compared to their public sector counterparts, who tend to lean towards left-wing parties
. This divide is often associated with differences in economic security, views on taxation, and attitudes toward government regulation.
Key findings on the relationship between the private sector and right-wing political leanings:
Small Business Owners: Studies show that small business owners and those in the "gig economy" are significantly more likely to identify with right-wing parties. This is often due to a preference for lower taxes and fewer regulations.
Industry Differences: Small business owners in sectors with high regulatory, labor, or compliance interfaces—such as construction, healthcare, and manufacturing—tend to lean Republican or right-wing.
Company Size: Workers in smaller companies tend to be more conservative on socioeconomic issues and more skeptical of trade unions than those in large corporations, according to research from 16 European countries.
Private Education Link: In the UK, individuals with a private school education are twice as likely to be consistent Conservative voters by midlife, and one and a half times more likely to hold right-wing opinions regarding income redistribution and the role of business.
Voting Behavior: Private sector workers have long been more likely to vote for conservative parties (such as the Conservatives in the UK) compared to public sector workers.
Drivers of Right-Wing Views in the Private Sector
Reduced State Intervention: Private sector workers generally favor less state intervention in the economy.
Economic Independence: The experience of running a business or being self-employed often leads to a preference for economic individualism over state-provided social safety nets.
Cultural Factors: Some studies suggest that the "experience of being a small business owner" directly influences the adoption of conservative views on regulation.
Those at the bottom of the education/ employment ladder are as often as not the ones most affected by mass immigration. The conclusion they are likely to be against it is not surprising nor requires a degree to make.