Measuring class Flashcards
What was the most commonly used scale in the UK for a long time?
The Registrar-General’s scale
What is occupational structure?
The hierarchy of occupations in a soceity, with the highest paid and most rewarding at the top
White-collar worker
A non-manual worker and member of the middle class
Blue-collar worker
A manual worker, member of the working class
How do occupational scales miss out important groups at both ends?
They miss out the wealthy who don’t need to work, the long-term unemployed and the disabled
Why is it an issue that people without jobs aren’t included?
They make up around half the population
Why might people placed in the same category in an occupational scale have very different financial situations?
Many people have different sources of income
Why is it a problem that occupational scales focus on individuals?
Most people live in families, in which there may be more than one wage earner with occupations at differnt levels in the scale