The document discusses social class and social mobility in British society. It defines social class as groups within a society that share economic status, often defined by occupation, education, income, and manners. The British social class system is traditionally divided into three main groups: the upper class of inherited wealth and aristocracy, the middle class of professionals and business owners, and the lower or working class of agricultural/industrial laborers. Social mobility refers to an individual's ability to change social class status, but Britain has low social mobility, with parents' earnings and education levels strongly influencing their children's outcomes.

1. What is social class?
A group of people within a society
possessing the same economic
status, often determined by
occupation, education, income,
manners, etc.

2. “Class Ridden Society”
•British concerned with social
differences
•Class consciousness frames British
mentality
•Class identification criteria

3. The British Social Class System
The British society has often been considered
to be divided into three main groups of
classes:
the Upper Class
Often people with inherited wealth. Includes
some of the oldest families, with many of them
being titled aristocrats.
the Middle Class
The majority of the population of Britain. They
include industrialists, professionals, business
people and shop owners.
Lower or Working Class
People who are agricultural, mine and factory
workers.

4. Origins of Class
Differences
• Industrial Revolution - Urban working
class
• Shared experience of struggle/class unity
• 18th Century’s Middle class : tenant
farmers and professional body of
lawyers, doctors…
• Associated with the ownership of
industry
• Bought their way to the aristocracy

5. The Under Class
• Difficulties , extreme poverty
• Intellectually and morally poor
• Unemployed single mothers, idle young
people of inner city areas
• No improvement of the self, Self-destructive
• Threat to themselves and to society
• « Useless class » living on social benefits
• Cutting government help

6. The Working Class
« Lower class , masses, prole »
• Large proportion of British
population
• Unskilled workers and low-ranking office workers
train and bus conductors…
• Distinctive signs of class belonging : Local regional
or broad accent (opposed to RP) Dress and hair
styles
• Hostility towards classes above / Opposed to
social mobility

7. The Middle Class
• The bulk of British society
• Thatcher, daughter of a grocer,
personifies traditional virtues of
middle class
• White collar office workers,
company executives, journalists,
teachers, academics,etc.
• Common lifestyle

8. The Upper Class
• Represents the Establishment
• Made up of the upper middle
class, the aristocracy and the
peers
• Old money, land
ownership , Eton,
Oxbridge, club ties ,
hunting, etc

9. Social mobility
• The ability of individuals or groups to
move upward or downward in status
• Factors can be wealth, occupation,
education, or some other social
criteria.

10. Social mobility in the UK
• Britain has the lowest social mobility
in the developed world.
• Earnings in UK reflect the parents’.
• Social mobility hasn't changed since
the 1970s

11. What Factors Affect Social
Mobility?
• Parents
• Education

12. Parents make the difference
• in UK the influence of parents is as important
as the quality of education
• A strong link between lack of social mobility
and inequality
• For the poorest fifth in society, 46% have
mothers with no qualifications at all.
• For the richest, only 3% have mothers with no
qualifications.

13. And Education
• Education is an engine of social mobility.
• But achievement is not balanced fairly
• intergenerational transmission of income
occurs through education

14. Now time for the…