Def. a group who share similar economic and social situation
Derives from the work we do
Income, status and lifestyle come from it
Less significant to some people today so argued that class is dead
Lead to social class developing similar norms and values cultures and lifestyle so effects on individual’s identity
Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste and form of Capital
Class fractions are determined by social, economic and cultural capital
Includes income, wealth and financial inheritance
Economic Capital
Includes income, wealth and financial inheritance
Achieved or ascribed
Social classes with the most tends to be those with high paid jobs or have a lot of inherited wealth
Cultural Capital
Includes cultural attributes and often related to education such as classical music, art and literature
Ascribed because it’s difficult to buy and achieve
Thought children educated in leading public schools so they gain from family so gives them a high status in society
Social Capital
Includes resources based on social connections and group membership
Mainly done through networking and relationships with different groups of people
Largely achieved and possessed by different classes in different ways
| Traditional working class | High social class |
| Frequently look at others interest through employment and through exchanging services | Done through education and networks of children who attend some education |
All 3 capitals are interested
Someone with high levels of one type is more likely to be able to attain the others well
Cultural capital = most significant such as parents teach children to speak the right way
Marxism
Influenced by the work of Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Every society means of production which determines the way society is organised
Argued that in almost every society there is two classes
He observed the modern capitalist system and saw a growing wealth gab between them
Lied to a communist society where everyone gets four shares
Power of the ruling class allows them to define the knowledge and skills that are valued
Postmodernism
Believe that it is impossible to have one general, overall theory
Change society very quickly
Social class take more notice of culture the traditional Marxist theory
An individual who is no longer controlled by big, powerful social structure so have a range of choices
Consumer culture is possible for individuals to pick and choose identities based on what they consume so old class boundaries blurring into one so makes society based on conspicuous consumption
Conspicuous consumption provides creation for own lifestyle as people are earning higher wages which allows them to buy what they want
Shown how to do this by the mass media which is influenced in all areas of life
Social classes are fragmenting due to globalisation such as people migrating and change traditional class structures
Social mobility has increased as identity is not fixed for life as we’re individuals and no one’s life is better
Upper Class Identity
Traditionally defined by its wealth, privilege aristocratic titles and possession of high culture
Ascribed status so inherited their wealth and title
Mackintosh and Mooney (2004)
Wealth and privilege are not always visible
Maintained by the elite view
Educating children in separate and distinct private schools independent of state control
Marry from the same circle and keep money in the family
Social closure is where they keep themselves separate from other classes
Old boy network is to gain access to the top jobs
This goes against the idea of meritocracy such as a barrister
Been challenged through the super-rich so gain fortune through talent and business such as footballers and lord sugar
The super-rich are distinctive by their celebrity status conspicuous consumption and lavish lifestyle
Achieved via hard work or talent rather than inherited so children of them inherit their status
Middle Class Identity
Majority of the population
Traditionally associated with non-manual work as long periods of training in skilled professional work such as law and medicine
Own houses
Great deal of status as well as cultural capital and social capital
Very aspirational and highly value education and mainly higher education
Diverse group and very different income attitudes and lifestyle
Fox (2004)
Upper middle class = barristers
Middle middle class = teachers
Lower middle class = clerical workers
Employed in public sector are thought to be altruistic
Employed in private sector are thought to be individual
Savage (1995)
- different types of middle-class identity
- Professionals – success due to education so value knowledge and life style
- Cultural capital so wealth in forms of obedience
- Managers so success means a high standard of living
- Entrepreneurial group so identity revolves around consumption of high and popular culture
The Working Class
Decline in trade union membership and manufacturing sector
Romanticised as a hardworking, straight talking and salt of the earth identity
Clearly middle class in terms of education, career or income
Skeggs (1997)
Working class woman felt humiliated by the ways in which others judged and dismissed them due to their background
Woman made a strenuous effect to show they were respectable taking care in how they dress, their leisure, pursuits and home decorations
Old Working Class
Traditional until the 20th and strong sense of identity and bound up with employment
Gender identities so breadwinner and housewife
Extended families
Low educational expectations – level 2
Heavy industry job
Immediate gratification
Restricted speech code
Associated with old labour party and trade unions
New Working Class
Lack a sense of community
Move towards service sector as heavily industry jobs have declined
Focus on standard of living not their occupation
Decline in immediate gratification and growing
Decline in extended families but more in cohabitation and child centred
Social mobility through education and work so university and professionals’ job
Move towards home ownership as in 1980s Margret Thatcher introduced the Housing Act
Lash and Urry (1994)
Came up by de centring of class identity as they acre about living standards
Gold Thorpe and Lockwood (1960s) called these privatised instrumentalists
The Under Class
Exist on state benefits, low paid and part time work
Saunders (1990) says it is a distinct subculture that becomes dependent on sate support
Jordan (1992) argues they hold the same values as the rest of society but held back by circumstances
They do use and do; foul language, social housing, single parents, welfare dependency, teenage pregnancy, many sexual partners, fake designer clothes and crime
Charles Murray (1984)
Argues that over-generous benefits encourage some people develop a culture or set of norms and values and don’t take responsibility for their own actions
Studied in USA and 1989 and British underclass
Live off mainstream society without participant
Labels, understanding, not respectful and feckless poor
Juvenile delinquents and children contribute
Type of poverty
Governments are unsurprisingly concerned about the group so low education as raising the school age
Showed in negative ways in media such as the Jeremy Kyle show