Essay
Social Class is a group of people with similar status. It describes one form of social classes. The inequalities refers to the existence of socially created inequalities such as; Health, education, housing and jobs. Social stratification refers to the existence of distinct social groups which is ranked in terms of wealth. Social mobility in the UK is possible. Britain is an open system meaning it is possible for people to attain a higher status with what they started with. Movement is possible as social classes are not based on birth, but on factors such as education and professional success. The Government for example use of the NSSEC 2000 which can measure a person’s social class by their occupation.
There has been changes over the past hundred years regarding social classes in Britain. There has been a decline of heavy manufacturing industries. Blue collar work has declined whilst white collar work has risen. Blue collar work involve skilled or unskilled manufacturing, mining, oil, field construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and other physical work. In contrast, white collar perform in an office environment involving sitting at a computer.
Another change has occurred in the upper class. It has undergone a process of decomposition due to wide share ownership and managerial revolution.
Another change is women entering the workplace. Women were previously excluded from class studies. There has been an increase in service industries. Much more women have entered, thus allowing them to achieve independent class status. Before legal and cultural practices, combined with religious and educational conventions restricting women’s entry and participation in the workplace. Sociologists now see the need to recognise women’s work as an important part of the class structure.
Functionalism is a macro structural consensus theory. It sees society in positive terms; that harmony will produce a well functionalism society.