[Maddog Jones]

Ask any middle class person what they think of 'chavs' and you'll see that we still have a class system.

[Time Tourist]

How times have changed:

[Barden]

(Original post by gmseahorse)
The very existence of Jack Wills proves that there is still a class systtem in Britain.

hardly... all it proves is that intellect and wealth are not directly proportional

[pellejema]

(Original post by Sherlock2172)
There are many who degrade the working class as chavs and even more who complain about those on welfare benefits, they blame them for the state England is in. The people that do this are not exclusively middle class however there are middle class people who do. I have encountered them before.

I dunno. I would think it's more the working class (who by definition work, though in lower paid jobs) that are more frustrated with the underclass, who they see as 'benefits scoungers'.

[SophieArcher]

I think that the class system is whatever you perceive it to be. I think that there is a mental barrier for many people, they think that it is impossible to make a transition to another 'social class'. This mental block will always be in the minds of people of the future, just as I am sure it was in the minds of those of the past.
When you meet new people then you can be part of any social class you want - acting like you are from the upper classes is easy, it's all about a quiet confidence and self assurance. You don't have to act stereotypically to fit into other social classes because in todays society everyone can be anyone.

[labby]

(Original post by gmseahorse)
The very existence of Jack Wills proves that there is still a class systtem in Britain.

Not really- what you buy from JacKWills really defines your class - lower middle/upper working class buy the £30 t shirts with JACK WILLS across the front. Upper middle buy more expensive,more subtly Wills items.The same goes with most 'designer' brands.

[lambert1]

I base a person's class on how the speak. If you sound northern or or lack the ability to speak grammatically correct then you are working class. If you speak very poshly then you are upper class. Everyone else is middle class.

[Sherlock2172]

(Original post by pellejema)
I dunno. I would think it's more the working class (who by definition work, though in lower paid jobs) that are more frustrated with the underclass, who they see as 'benefits scoungers'.

I agree, one very unfortunate result of the welfare system is that it divides the working classes; they do not blame the government for economic problems, or the banks, they blame others in a similar situation to them, welfare scroungers, foreigners and the like. Naturally, chavs are hated amongst other working class, but this is because it makes them look bad and gives the middle classes a bad opinion of them.

Think of it logically, a middle class person see's a "chav" working class person vandalize a shop and steal a car, and then see's that he is also on the dole, naturally that middle class person is going to make the connection between the working classes and laziness and crime, and thus have a worse opinion of them.

[X_mark_the_spot]

(Original post by najinaji)
What class were they?

To be perfectly frank, I can't really say. From the stories they told me and the "dives" we hung out in, I'd guess upper-middle to upper class. But from their behaviour, I would have easily put them amongst the chavs. Yes, British class typologies completely elude me. For me, the only real measure of class is manners, and these girls lacked them.

[pellejema]

(Original post by X_mark_the_spot)
To be perfectly frank, I can't really say. From the stories they told me and the "dives" we hung out in, I'd guess upper-middle to upper class. But from their behaviour, I would have easily put them amongst the chavs. Yes, British class typologies completely elude me. For me, the only real measure of class is manners, and these girls lacked them.

I totally agree with you here. Manners and courtesy should be everything. I often find it hilarious how similar the 'upper class' and 'chavs' can be in terms of their worldview. A case in point would be unfounded prejudices, often for the opposite class. How well they would get on (if only they could drop their prejudices).

[labby]

(Original post by lambert1)
I base a person's class on how the speak. If you sound northern or or lack the ability to speak grammatically correct then you are working class. If you speak very poshly then you are upper class. Everyone else is middle class.

If you sound northern!!!! Perhaps if you have an accent - northern or southern, or if you speak the majority of words incorrectly (by that I mean missing sounds out etc.) but you can't just say people are working class because they sound northern because they were born in the north! (Don't mean to rant but it sounded like you were implying Northerners and northern accents are all working class-I know some very middle/upper class people who speak with a Northern accent.)

[Deep456]

(Original post by X_mark_the_spot)
Quite possibly, I suppose that was part of the enterprise. However, I came away with a very uneasy feeling after meeting these girls. One went on and on about how she could tell a person's class simply from their face structure and the way they held their glass. At that point I felt compelled to down another double, sit back and just smile and nod. Mind, not all people are this obnoxious and generally people are quite decent and nice. This was just one instance that came to mind.

I assure you the questions like 'where you live? what school you went to? what your parent's do? where have you travelled?' were just small talk. It appears this was at an interview of some sort where you had then proceeded to going to the pub for a drink?

I am sorry for what you experienced but you cannot use that individual case or anecdotal evidence to draw a conclusion. Social mobility is much better in the United Kingdom than in America. Though contacts still influence things in this country, it is no way near as bad as the US. Also as someone has already pointed out, using statistical data, Britain does in fact have less inequality than the US.

My experience of North Americans has been that they often misinterpret simple things in a negative way and I have found them to be quite argumentative as a result.

To answer the original question, yes there is a 'class' system. It is quite easy to move from one to another. The upper class as it were, has almost completely vanished bar nobility/royalty.

[Tahooper]

(Original post by pellejema)
I'd assume that's RP...

Which even most people down south don't speak so I don't know why the other guy was implying people located in the north of England can't speak properly.

[mevidek]

Unfortunately, despite it being extremely unfair, crippling, and quite stupid, the class system still exists today.

[AverageExcellence]

(Original post by pellejema)
There has been a very notable and distinct class system in Britain through out its history... the serfs and peasants, the landed gentry and middle classes, the aristocracy...

Today, it's implied that even the poorest in society can achieve what they want if they try - but do people still, in this apparently forward-thinking country, suffer prejudice against their backgrounds?

What I'm interested in is whether people still think there's a distinct class system in 21st century Britain.

Yes, just look at the popularity of the jeremy kyle show, or even the people applying to different universities. Its all a form of classist and elitest attitudes still rife and kicking in the UK

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Maddog Jones)
Ask any middle class person what they think of 'chavs' and you'll see that we still have a class system.

I'm middle class, and I think of 'chavs' as a sub-culture of people who where tracksuits all the time and commit anti-social behaviour.

What does that have to do with class, may I ask?

[pellejema]

(Original post by Tahooper)
I'm middle class, and I think of 'chavs' as a sub-culture of people who where tracksuits all the time and commit anti-social behaviour.

What does that have to do with class, may I ask?

As someone self-professed middle class, what does it mean to be middle class?

[Tahooper]

(Original post by pellejema)
As someone self-professed middle class, what does it mean to be middle class?

Middle-income family, 4 bedroom house...

I see class from an economic view; I do not believe any economic classes should have certain behavioural traits associated with them i.e. in my area there are a few middle-class chavs who have relatively well of parents and live in a nice house but they also go out drinking every Friday/Saturday and are just generally a nuisance.

[Deep456]

(Original post by Tahooper)
Middle-income family, 4 bedroom house...

I see class from an economic view; I do not believe any economic classes should have certain behavioural traits associated with them i.e. in my area there are a few middle-class chavs who have relatively well of parents and live in a nice house but they also go out drinking every Friday/Saturday and are just generally a nuisance.

However, you classed yourself solely through wealth/income. These 'chavs' are just as middle class as you.

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Deep456)
However, you classed yourself solely through wealth/income. These 'chavs' are just as middle class as you.

"However" what? You literally just rephrased what I just said.

I was trying to get across that chavs can come from any economic background.