Class system in britain

Gazule

It really isn't vague at all. There are three classes. No more. The issue becomes nebulous because some working class people believe they are middleclass.

Lol quite.

Reply 41

username196545

19

Gazule

It really isn't vague at all. There are three classes. No more. The issue becomes nebulous because some working class people believe they are middleclass.

Hardly. Upper middle class and lower middle class. Plus you can not bracket all working class people as the same.

Reply 42

Martyn*

13

Well I class myself as lower class (underclass). It's how you're brought up. I was brought up by the plebs.

Reply 43

x-pixie-lottie-x

14

Bagration

I actually lold at this. Do you really think that farmers = working class?

its all a matter of opinion or how you choose to look at it...

the small scale family farms yeah they are working class...
large scale maybe not but i dont know anything about them to comment on them
x

Reply 44

Renner

19

x-pixie-lottie-x

its all a matter of opinion or how you choose to look at it...

the small scale family farms yeah they are working class...
large scale maybe not but i dont know anything about them to comment on them
x

No there not, they work hard but there not working class.

Reply 45

x-pixie-lottie-x

14

Renner

No there not, they work hard but there not working class.

if you judge it on income they are...

Reply 46

Renner

19

x-pixie-lottie-x

if you judge it on income they are...

Income depends on type of farm and location, not size or how it is run.

Reply 47

Gazule

9

Bubbles*de*Milo

Hardly. Upper middle class and lower middle class. Plus you can not bracket all working class people as the same.

Yes, you can. That is the point of the class system. Of course there are varying standards within the classes, but just because one working class family has a slightly different lifestyle to another it doesn't mean they are in a seperate class. Being upper middleclass just means you are near the top of that class, it doesn't mean you have a whole new class.

Reply 48

katierattray

14

I was brought up working class, I find the class system irrelavent now.

Reply 49

SteveThePhysicist

nigel_s

A class system exists, but there is more social mobility nowadays. Of course, many people lack the drive or the will to break from their working class backgrounds.

Actually a study by the London School of Economics has shown that social mobility has gone into reverse since the abolition of grammar schools.

Reply 50

patrick.berryman

The BBC explains very well how the British class system is divided: The new classes are defined as: “Elite - the most privileged group in the UK, distinct from the other six classes through its wealth. This group has the highest levels of all three capitals. Established middle class - the second wealthiest, scoring highly on all three capitals. The largest and most gregarious group, scoring second highest for cultural capital. Technical middle class - a small, distinctive new class group which is prosperous but scores low for social and cultural capital. Distinguished by its social isolation and cultural apathy. New affluent workers - a young class group which is socially and culturally active, with middling levels of economic capital. Traditional working class - scores low on all forms of capital, but is not completely deprived. Its members have reasonably high house values, explained by this group having the oldest average age at 66. Emergent service workers - a new, young, urban group which is relatively poor but has high social and cultural capital. Precariat, or precarious proletariat - the poorest, most deprived class, scoring low for social and cultural capital.” (BBC, Huge survey reveals seven social classes in UK, 3rd April 2013)

Reply 51

the bear

20

in England until quite recently it was easy to predict someone's class by their leisure activities:

dog fighting & pigeon racing ( or vice versa ) were typical working class pastimes. also football ( soccer ).

middle class people enjoyed laughing at working class people. and going to the theatre. and reading books.

upper class people enjoyed foxhunting, croquet and shooting things.

nowadays it is far less clear cut.

Reply 52

CEKTOP

13

The class system has become irrelevant with the onset of globalisation. Right now the only factor that largely determines one's social standing is one's income or accumulated capital.

Reply 53

WharfedaleTiger

13

Original post by SteveThePhysicist

Actually a study by the London School of Economics has shown that social mobility has gone into reverse since the abolition of grammar schools.

Which is, of course, nothing to do with grammar schools...

Reply 54

WharfedaleTiger

13

Class is still a very real thing in the UK - you just have to go to uni or wander the streets to see that (or, indeed, speak to anyone!) but nowdays its a lot to do with culture rather than wealth. The old manager/worker/aristocrat divide seems to have melted away somewhat.

Reply 55

Telecaster Steak

9

Surely the English class system has never been about money, but about power.

In the past it has of course determined a person's wealth but the division was a social one, determined by family background and education. While it is possible for a middle class person, or even a working class person, to achieve the same wealth as an upper class person, they would never actually become upper class, since some form of aristocratic, or otherwise established, family history is what determines who is upper class.
There is much less of a divide between working and middle class though.

This is, of course, only my opinion based on my basic knowledge and what I have observed.

Reply 56

Rakas21

21

Original post by YUke

Hi.
I'm from Belgium and I'm dealing with the subject ''class system in Britain''.
There are several documents on the internet that already gave me a fine approach to the facts.
But I would really appreciate the opinion from people all over the world, and especially British people.
I already know that it's a very complex situation and that the terms ''working class, upper class, middle class'' are way too vague.
Could you please help me to get a better grip on the life in England, due to the ''class system''? If you are British, do you "feel" that there still is a class ridden society? On this moment, I would rather say there is, because of 'The house of Lords' for instance.But who am I?
Thanks!

Do i still feel that Britain is a class ridden society?

My personal view is that the class system does exist but that it is somewhat different to the historical definition (a product of a much wealthier country) and that social mobility is sufficient that people can escape their class. It's also notable that politically there has been class dealignment (poor voting for Thatcher, rich voting for Blair).

Historically i think the class system was much simpler in that you had the upper classes and then the working classes however today as Britain is much wealthier much of the working class have transitioned to become middle class which historically would have been regarded as the upper class (or at the very least "new money"). My personal view of the class system today is as follows..

Working Class - The unemployed, the renters, those working part time or in low wage (sub £20k) jobs

Middle Class - This is probably the largest group today, it contains those on higher than average incomes, home owners with multiple cars and even those who let their properties, small business owners and the old "new money" are included in this group

Upper Class - Much the same as before but smaller in proportion these are people of inherited wealth and titles, those who are sent to private schools like Eton before embarking on careers set in motion through connections (even Nigela Lawson could be an example). Their direct political influence is somewhat diluted (abolition of hereditary peers) however indirectly their connections ensure continued hegemony in certain sectors, they can also be the children of the middle class who have climbed the social ladder.

On the whole a much larger middle class, continued dominance of the upper class but greater social mobility allows freer movement through the class boundaries.

Reply 57

Cannotbelieveit

15

4 year old thread guys....4 years.

Reply 58

Origami Bullets

19

Many a book has been written on the subject, and I don't think that many have ever quite got to grips with the whole matter (and really, I think it's something that's very difficult to fully encompass on paper).

However, a couple of books worth reading -
- Watching the English by Kate Fox
- Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class by Owen Jones

Reply 59

Tim2341

10

Original post by patrick.berryman

The BBC explains very well how the British class system is divided: The new classes are defined as: “Elite - the most privileged group in the UK, distinct from the other six classes through its wealth. This group has the highest levels of all three capitals. Established middle class - the second wealthiest, scoring highly on all three capitals. The largest and most gregarious group, scoring second highest for cultural capital. Technical middle class - a small, distinctive new class group which is prosperous but scores low for social and cultural capital. Distinguished by its social isolation and cultural apathy. New affluent workers - a young class group which is socially and culturally active, with middling levels of economic capital. Traditional working class - scores low on all forms of capital, but is not completely deprived. Its members have reasonably high house values, explained by this group having the oldest average age at 66. Emergent service workers - a new, young, urban group which is relatively poor but has high social and cultural capital. Precariat, or precarious proletariat - the poorest, most deprived class, scoring low for social and cultural capital.” (BBC, Huge survey reveals seven social classes in UK, 3rd April 2013)

Why did you raise the dead with this thread, it died 4 years ago.

Class system in britain

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