Britain now has 7 social classes – and working class is a dwindling breed
Public policy needs to take account not just of rural issues but of its wider impact on different groups. I find this article on class really interesting as a means of thinking about different types of people living in rural England and the specific challenges and issues the rural milieu throws up for them. Lest you assume those at the bottom of this new approach are a purely urban phenomena I would urge you to read our work on the challenges facing upland farmers completed last year for Oxfam. I can send you a copy if you ask nicely! This article tells us:
Prof Divine said: “It’s what’s in the middle which is really interesting and exciting. There’s a much more fuzzy area between the traditional working class and traditional middle class.
“There’s the emergent workers and the new affluent workers who are different groups of people who won’t necessarily see themselves as working or middle class.”
The findings will be presented at a conference of the British Sociological Association today, and will be published in this month’s Sociology Journal.
Researchers analysed people’s income, assets, social connections and social activities.
The 7 new classes (according to the BBC Lab study):
- Elite – The most privileged class. High level of all three capitals (economic, cultural and social).
- Established middle class – High levels of all three capitals but not as high as Elite. Gregarious and culturally engaged
- Technical middle class – New, small class, with high economic capital but less culturally engaged. Relatively few social contacts.
- New affluent workers – Medium levels of economic, but higher levels of cultural and social capital. Young and active.
- Emergent service workers – New class with low economic but high ’emerging’ cultural capital. High social capital. Young and often found in urban areas.
- Traditional working class – Low on all three capitals, but not the poorest. Older on average than other classes.
- Precariat, or precarious proletariat – Most deprived group, with low levels of all three capitals.