[Futurework] The proposed 7 classes

[Keith Hudson]

The following will be of interest to some FWers. It's of interest to me, of 
course, because the class system is an aggregated view of what goes on in 
every (particularly male) group or organization of any size. In all of 
these (and except for the very poor), the Western individual spends by far 
the bulk of his or her income on homes, goods, services, activities and 
entertainments which consolidate his existing status or are opportunities 
to aspire to higher levels.

I'll abstract from the article (shown below) to show the seven classes into 
which the project team think the UK (more accurately, the English) are 
divided today. (Note the new term, standing for those who are both poor and 
precarious.)

Elite -- 6%
Established middle class -- 25%
Technical middle class -- 6%
New affluent working class -- 15%
Traditional working class -- 14%
Emergent service working class -- 19%
Precariat -- 15%

My own model has only two classes -- 20-class and 80-class -- because I'm 
mainly interested in those who take the important economic decisions (as 
well as much else!). And these, of course, are in the 20-class. This 
certainly include the Elite above, plus some of those in the Established 
Middle Class (top professionals in the law, medicine and accountacy who are 
necessary to the rich), plus some of those in the Technical MIddle 
Class(also vitally necessary). Both of the last two classes are vitally 
necessary for the continued power and wealth of the Elite

I imagine that America is very similar to Britain.

Keith

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R920130403


British class system alive and growing, survey finds

LONDON | Wed Apr 3, 2013 11:39am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - British people can now aspire to and despise four new 
levels of social classes, according to a new survey conducted by 
researchers in partnership with public broadcaster the BBC.

The Great British Class Survey found that the prevailing notions of a 
system comprised of the Upper Class, Middle Class and Working Class only 
related to a slice of the UK population, when analyzed according to 
<http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R920130403#>income<http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R920130403#>
[]
, assets, social connections and social activities.

An "Elite" class and a "Precariat" (precarious proletariat)were the two 
most extreme groups at either end of a new social scale of seven classes 
produced by researchers from the London School of Economics (LSE) and 
University of Manchester based on two surveys conducted by the BBC and 
research firm GfK.

"It is striking that we have been able to discern a distinctive elite, 
whose sheer economic advantage sets it apart from other classes," LSE 
Professor Mike Savage said.
[]

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