The British Class System

Question 1

Industrial Working Class

Overview

Answer 1

Highly varied social group
Manual labourers (mones, docks etc), skilled craftsmen in factories, semi-skilled engineering jobs
Predominantly in industrial centres

Question 2

Industrial Working Class

Politically

Answer 2

Identified strongly with the Labour Party, heavily unionised by 1918 (90% membership)

Question 3

Industrial Working Class

Attitudes

Answer 3

1920s-40s, deferential society
Looked up to the middle class, patriotic and deferent to the upper class
Saw aristocracy and Royal Family as the ‘ruling class’

Question 4

Middle Class

Overview

Answer 4

Not ruling elite or manual workers
Subdivided into upper and lower middle class

Question 5

Middle Class

‘Lower Middle Class’

Answer 5

Workers in semi-skilled clerical jobs or small business owners
Worked to differentiate themselves from working class through wealth, leisure, culture

Question 6

Middle Class

‘Upper Middle Class’

Answer 6

Educated professionals (doctors, lawyers, bankers, civil servants)
Highly specialised tasks + highly educated (university)
Aspired to enjoy life/privilege of ‘upper class’, still looked down on as ‘new momney’

Question 7

Upper Class

Overview

Answer 7

Inherited wealth, land, and titles
Represented in the House of Lords
Exclusive social calendar (the Season) - hunting and shooting in Autumn, sport and cultural events in Spring and Summer, including debutantes’ ball in London

Question 8

Upper Class

Politically

Answer 8

Supporters of Conservative party, over-represented in parliament
Politics dominated by ‘Old-Etonians’
Most senior army officers U/C, 25 of 29 Ministers in LG’s wartime cabinet U/C

Question 9

Post-Industrial Revolution

Answer 9

Identity less distinct
Upper classes separate, but middle and working identified through leisure + culture
Class consciousness and socio-cultural definition