The Student Room Group

UK the most class ridden nation in the world?

We have an under class who probably have little hope of raising their own social status or wealth. These are peasant classes, the serfs who are surplus to requirements.

Then we have a class who earn money and they are now considered "middle class" although they are rooted in the peasant class, and then there are the various upper working clas/middle class tiers, the kind who can afford, for example, to take their children to dance lessons a few times a week.

Then there are the political classes, who are perhaps predominantly now middle to upper middle class with a few of them coming from working class backgrounds, which were once associated with class struggle and poverty. But these latter few are perhaps getting smaller and smaller as the new middle to upper middle were born in more affluent areas of society.

Then we have the Lord and Baron class. This is a step up from the upper middle. Many people who have achieved middle class but came from working class backgrounds can access this particular class (John prescott MP being one of them).

Then we have the top class who are Dukes, Princes, Queens, Kings, etc. These are considered mere props "good for the economy" though we tend to overlook their role in the military, in private business and government institutions, and the activities of their extended family throughout history.

Obviously the UK is entrenched by class divisions. What other place in the world can you think of that has such a towering class superstructure?

Some people say that class doesn't matter. Dennis Skinner MP might disagree with them, for he believed that class is everything! It is the background from where you came and it reflects even if subtly your own value system. Someone from a poorer background will fight against social injustice in society.

Those who come from more affluent backgrounds tend to be less militant in their fight against social injustice, whilst some of them who will not care at all and only see the classes beneath them as tools for political and economic gain.

The further up the chain of command we go we see them as being less connected with those beneath them, particularly at the very top, which is why the top classes have military backgrounds and have the power to engage another country in war. It is not that this top class doesn't understand the "lower orders" it's just that the top class have inherited their position, which is now considered as "tradition" when in fact it is also piracy.

But a consolidated mediocrity is essential for the upper classes to flourish. If everyone was just one class our society would be very different, perhaps for the worst. That's not an argument in favour of class, but an argument against class snobery. Because if it is true that class is required for a great nation then all classes in the class superstructure are integral to one another. In the past this was the Victorian ideal: each class knew its place.

But for some reason the Victorian ideal was overthrown and class was seen as a social injustice as well as a barrier to a happy and long life.

But what do you think?

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Reply 1
Original post by Martyn*


But what do you think?

India is probably worse.
Reply 2
Original post by Ravenous
India is probably worse.


I thought that India only had three tiers: chandala, middle class and elite.
Reply 3
Agree, it's absolutely disgusting. The sooner the monarchy is gone the better
Reply 4
Original post by Martyn*

Those who come from more affluent backgrounds tend to be less militant in their fight against social injustice...


What about Tony Benn? Clement Atlee? Michael Foot?

And although I detest the British class system I have to admit that India is a lot worse.
Original post by Martyn*
I thought that India only had three tiers: chandala, middle class and elite.


No, there are many subsections within that.

If you are middle class, you cannot necessarily marry another person who is middle class.

In some cases, they have to be from the same area of villages.

It is a completely idiotic system.
Reply 6
Original post by Swanbow
What about Tony Benn? Clement Atlee? Michael Foot?

And although I detest the British class system I have to admit that India is a lot worse.


I think there are exceptions.
Reply 7
Original post by arson_fire
Apologies if i`m wrong, but did you not make a thread recently arguing that the upper classes were misunderstood and should have their traditions protected?


No, definitely not me! :smile:
Reply 8
What I've noticed is that most people from the UK are excessively concerned with the class system. I don't know if the class system is towering in reality, but it definitely lives on in people's minds. I have never met a nationality that talks and cares so much about class.
Sooner the monarchy is gone the better.
Reply 10
Original post by arson_fire
Apologies if i`m wrong, but did you not make a thread recently arguing that the upper classes were misunderstood and should have their traditions protected?

Maybe you're thinking of MostUncivilised.
Reply 11
Does any other country have a public school divide as large as the uk
I never really thought about class until I started living with middle-class people...UK is horrible for it and getting rid of the royal family would help.

It actually seems like it is getting worse...Kate Middleton is very popular and shows like benefit street are demonising the underclass.
Reply 13
Original post by Ravenous
India is probably worse.

Yeah, the west seems to forget there's another half to the world.

The UK is a bastion for complete equality compared to India.
Reply 14
Original post by Bill_Gates
Sooner the monarchy is gone the better.


Nope, this is what everyone is truly ignorant to see.
England are in massive debt and the only thing keeping us up is the interest rates. If the monarchy goes, massive tourism money will go away which will change the interest rats cos banks love to adapt financially.
Even a small change will completely destroy England.
Original post by Ripper-Roo
Agree, it's absolutely disgusting. The sooner the monarchy is gone the better


I don't think the monarchy is much of a threat so much as corrupt oil men who worship dirty money are.
Original post by ETRC
Nope, this is what everyone is truly ignorant to see.
England are in massive debt and the only thing keeping us up is the interest rates. If the monarchy goes, massive tourism money will go away which will change the interest rats cos banks love to adapt financially.
Even a small change will completely destroy England.


LOL brilliant. As i said the sooner the monarchy goes the better :wink:
Reply 17
Original post by bill_gates
lol brilliant. As i said the sooner the monarchy goes the better :wink:


hahahahaha
India, South Africa, pretty much every developing county has a much more defined class structure. It means that the lower classes in those countries to not enjoy basic human rights, whereas in the UK class has little impact on the education/ healthcare you receive.
Reply 19
Original post by WinstonO'Brien
India, South Africa, pretty much every developing county has a much more defined class structure. It means that the lower classes in those countries to not enjoy basic human rights, whereas in the UK class has little impact on the education/ healthcare you receive.


100%. All this crying about class war is proper first-world problems.

In terms of private education - most developed counrties have about the same divisions. Certainly the US has a much larger gap in terms of rich/poor. Private schooling is far more expensive.

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