Social Classes in Britain
SOCIAL CLASSES IN BRITAIN
In this essay on social classes in Britain I will mostly concentrate on structure of various classes in Britain and relations between them. I will also describe some changes and movements which this classes went through over the years. Furthermore, I will put emphasis on today's important issue in Britain, the problem of class struggle i.e. disparity between the rich and the poor. Although there are various definitions of social class, we may say that social class is connected with factors such as wealth, level of education and occupation. To be more precise in defining it, a social class is "a status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified on the basis of esteem and prestige acquired mainly through economic success and accumulation of wealth. Social class may also refer to any particular level in such a hierarchy."[1] Social classes represent an important part in people's lives because they are essential to proper understanding of British history and because class is a major British preoccupation, especially in political life. Therefore, it concerned British Prime Minister John Major twenty years ago in such a way that he tried to achieve his aim to bring about "classless society". He didn't accomplish that and Britain continued to be class-bound nation.[2] Class is very much present in Britain. Besides him, according to Margater Thatcher: "Class," she insisted, "is a Communist concept. It groups people as bundles, and sets them against one another."[3] We may conclude that to her, class has been depravity of human behaviour.
Today there are six social classes in Britain established in the 1950s and used ever since.[4] Following classification based on the occupation of the head of the household according to National Readership Survey[5] is for 2008. The upper middle class (category A - high managerial, administrative or professional, 4%) in Britain is very small and consists mostly of peerage, gentry
In this essay on social classes in Britain I will mostly concentrate on structure of various classes in Britain and relations between them. I will also describe some changes and movements which this classes went through over the years. Furthermore, I will put emphasis on today's important issue in Britain, the problem of class struggle i.e. disparity between the rich and the poor. Although there are various definitions of social class, we may say that social class is connected with factors such as wealth, level of education and occupation. To be more precise in defining it, a social class is "a status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified on the basis of esteem and prestige acquired mainly through economic success and accumulation of wealth. Social class may also refer to any particular level in such a hierarchy."[1] Social classes represent an important part in people's lives because they are essential to proper understanding of British history and because class is a major British preoccupation, especially in political life. Therefore, it concerned British Prime Minister John Major twenty years ago in such a way that he tried to achieve his aim to bring about "classless society". He didn't accomplish that and Britain continued to be class-bound nation.[2] Class is very much present in Britain. Besides him, according to Margater Thatcher: "Class," she insisted, "is a Communist concept. It groups people as bundles, and sets them against one another."[3] We may conclude that to her, class has been depravity of human behaviour.
Today there are six social classes in Britain established in the 1950s and used ever since.[4] Following classification based on the occupation of the head of the household according to National Readership Survey[5] is for 2008. The upper middle class (category A - high managerial, administrative or professional, 4%) in Britain is very small and consists mostly of peerage, gentry
Bibliography: [1] Business Dictionary.Social Class: Definition.2010 [2] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [3] Cannadine D. The Rise and Fall of Class in Britain.2010 [4] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [7] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [8] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [9] Social Class: United Kingdom. 20 June 2011 [10] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [13] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [14] Social Class: United Kingdom. 20 June 2011 [15] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [16] McDowall D., 2000., p.93. [23] McDowall D., 2000., p.95.