Is there still a social class system in the UK?

Question

I know some hang on to it for self preservation by joining golf clubs, tennis clubs etc but are we becoming classless generally?
Do all countries have different social classes i.e. France, Spain, Germany etc. is having social classes a limiting factor to progress? Is England worse than other countries?

Answer 1

yes very much so but i dont think it is as bad as the cast system in India

Answer 2

I think that your class is defined the moment you open your mouth to speak. No amount of club membership can undo the effects of speaking with a certain accent or cackling loudly. This seems to apply too in other countries. The French will shudder delicately as they describe someone as "un peu vulgaire" and the Germans have a distinct social hierarchy. Spain is interesting. Forty years ago it was said not to have an identifiable middle class and now it certainly does.

What is fascinating to see in the UK is that it is trendy among certain people to affect an accent for reasons which it is sometimes hard to fathom. There are pop stars, for example, who suppress their middle class backgrounds (and tell-tale accents) to sound as uncouth as possible. Why is this necessary?

I'd like to think that class played no role in what a person was able to achieve in life, but it would be naive to believe that it didn't. I think that the closest the UK came towards that ideal was in the Sixties and Seventies, when you didn't have to have money to go to university. Ironically, with the universalisation of higher education, not only have standards fallen, but a university course has become far less affordable.

Answer 3

Is there a social class system? yes, more now than ever before!! Without making judgements, the asker of this questions is probably like myself, middle class, normal house or flat rented or bought, comfortable in that we can put food on our table each day, and go out occasionally, whilst buying ourselves the occasional present...... There is a totally different world to our world, and in most cities and towns its only 2 or 3 streets away. there is an entire population who struggle to make ends meat, go hungry, survive of the £30 a week the government gives them, and wear second hand clothes. Don't believe me? OK, where is your nearest 'cash converters'. How do you think this company makes money? they make money from the poor selling off their worldly goods to feed their family (or habits). I make no judgements, I've never been there so its too easy to say - get a job, or stop drinking or stop smoking...... but I can confirm that this does exist! -

On the other end of the scale, there are a plethora of celebrities, footballers and musicians who earn so much money that they can do almost anything they like.

The class system exists, the only thing that has changed is that its now cool to be seen as 'classless' - hence a whole group young teen ages from middle - upper class families go to university and live in brixton so that they can feel 'street'. Again, no criticisms just a fact.

Answer 4

All countries have social stratas and classes and England, because of the Monarchy, is probably more so than others. Golf clubs are becoming less elitist with the working man playing golf regularly both in 'Pay and Play' and actual Clubs. Some are highbrow by way of annual fees making they prohibitive to less well off. However, many of the 'Upper Class', or Snobs have far less money now than they used to have and are feeling the pinch.....

Answer 5

The class system of old is very much alive and kicking. When I younger I lived in an area of britain that I believed was class-less. Only when I moved away did I realise that in fact the place was deprived and that we were the lowest class available. I was mistreated by those I met in this new city because of my accent and certain places refused me entry without reason (for a young lad this was hard to take). Only once I lost my accent and gained people of status needing favours did doors again open for me. I can say from personal experience the class system lives as strong as ever.
From experience all countries have a system of some description, even the americans. They have built their class system upon money, where there is a servant and master arrangement depending upon who has the large bank balance.

Answer 6

People like to think there's a social class system, joining a golf club or tennis club does not make you a cut above anyone else, you are born with class and cannot buy it.

Answer 7

The population can be segmented according to annual salary (e.g. £15,000, £30,000 etc.), or type of job and social class. Establishing a group's disposable income is important so that products can be targeted to the relevant income group. This is called a socio-economic segment. The socio-economic groups A, B, C1, C2, D and E describe how much the head of the household earns.

Answer 8

class is not greater dominant interior the united kingdom than everywhere else interior the worldwide. the wealthy are wealthy and the unfavourable are unfavourable. while you're bright and perplexing working you progression up interior the worldwide and you're conventional for what you're. look on the style of our greatest Ministers who got here from uncomplicated kin backgrounds. look too on the style of in demand businessmen from uncomplicated backgrounds. yet once you're idle and thick you're possibly to stay unfavourable continually. quite certainly, the wealthy do no longer want to pass mutually with ignorant gits who can no longer exhibit themselves and have no longer something interesting to furnish.

Answer 9

Apparent there is still a social class system....at least that is what my butler says

Answer 10

Of course there is, there will always be Top-Middle-Bottom, those with a lot, those with a little and those wi nowt.