The traditional upper class, middle class and working class system appears to have disappeared, according to a new study. We are now grouped into seven social classes – not just upper, middle and working class, experts claimed today.
At the top end is an elite consisting of just 6% of the population who have more than ?140,000 in the bank and degrees from top universities. At the opposite end of the scale is a so-called “precariat” of 15%, who earn only ?8,000 after tax and have savings of ?700. Just one in seven people are now “traditional working class” and it is believed this group may eventually die out.
The new boundaries were revealed by a BBC survey of more than 160,000 people living in Britain. The “Great British Class Survey”, carried out online, is the largest ever study of its kind. People who took part answered questions about their income, the value of their home and savings, their cultural interests and hobbies, and the status of people they know.
This has produced seven different classes: elite, established middle class, technical middle class, new affluent workers, traditional working class, emergent service workers and the precariat.
I – Word Understanding
Elite – the richest and most successful; the best
Precariat – poor and not stable
Affluent – rich
Emergent – becoming known or popular
II – Have your say
1.What are the social classes in Japan? Do you consider it important and relevant?
2.A social climber is a person who wants to be in a higher social class.
3.In the Indian Caste System, marriage happens only within caste (the same class). Sharing of food and water should be avoided so as not to pollute the higher class’ life.
045 Britain now divided into SEVEN classes not just upper, middle and working: Which are you?
