3.3.2

Upper & Middle Class

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Upper-Class Groups

The upper-class consists of three main groups explored below.

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The upper-class

  • The upper-class is a small social class consisting of those who are the main owners of society’s wealth and consist of three main groups:
    • The traditional upper-class.
    • The owners of industry and commerce.
    • The stars of entertainment, media, and sport.
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Traditional upper-class

  • The traditional upper-class consists of royalty and the traditional land-owning aristocracy, as well as the titled, such as dukes, duchesses, lords and ladies, and earls.
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Merchants

  • The owners of industry and commerce are the corporate rich, that is, wealthy business people who made their wealth through commerce rather than through land or titles.
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Stars

  • Stars of entertainment, media, and sport, as the name suggests, are those who have become wealthy due to their celebrity status.
  • For example:
    • David Beckham.
    • Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.

Upper-Class Culture and Identity

Upper class culture is normally associated with the traditional upper-class and consists of a number of factors. Generally speaking, examples of these factors are:

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Socialisation

  • An exclusive upbringing and lifestyle with close kinship relations through intermarriage with similar families.
  • Secondary socialisation, obtained through an education based around private (often boarding) school, particularly exclusive private schools like Eton and Harrow, as well as Oxford and Cambridge universities.
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Cultural capital

  • Traditionally, high levels of cultural capital and an appreciation of high culture (classical music, high literature, etc.).
  • A network of privileged social contacts (the ‘old boys’ network) allowing them greater access to positions of power.
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The ‘nouveau riche'

  • The owners of industry and commerce and stars of entertainment, media, and support make up what is termed the ‘nouveau riche’, or new rich and have acquired their wealth in their own lifetime, rather than through inheritance.

Middle-Class Subculture and Identity

The middle-class refers to those engaged in non-manual work and represents the largest of the social classes. Here are some generalisations about the middle class:

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Occupation

  • Middle-class occupations include office workers, doctors, teachers, and managers.
  • This group covers a wide range of occupations, educational qualifications, incomes, and lifestyles.
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Education

  • The middle-class may display a commitment to education (including private education) and recognise that education is important to future success.
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Ambition

  • The middle-class may place a great emphasis on individual effort, personal ambition and ‘self-help’ to help them succeed in life.
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Deferred gratification

  • The middle-class may display a deferred gratification, the emphasis on putting off immediate pleasures in order to guarantee future gains.
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Cultural capital

  • The middle-class may benefit from the possession of cultural capital as well as greater respect for high culture over popular culture.

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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