Actualités et faits de société Licence 1 Lecture 5: Social classes in Britain

An unequal society? a class-ridden society? A society where the social class you belong to still matters in terms of job opportunities, education? is Britain still trapped in a Downton Abbey society?

The servants… and the wealthy owners of the Abbey… A Downton-Abbey style society?

1. How do you define ‘social class’? Historically (19th century), Britain divided into three classes: the upper class the middle class the working class (or the lower class) This picture is taken from a sketch – go and check it out on UMTICE

How do you define ‘social class’? money (how much you earn, how much you inherit) family (aristocracy? social background?) property (where do you live? what do you own?) education (private education? state education? university?) social networks (who do you socialise with? who do you know?) cultural activities (hobbies, interests?)

New divisions in British society Sociologists from London School of Economics now state that there are 7 social classes in Britain - influenced by Pierre Bourdieu’s work not only money and family backgrounds should be taken into account  your economic capital cultural activities, friends you socialize with, etc.  your social and cultural capital

The Great British Class Survey, 2011 organized by LSE sociologists survey answered by 160,000 people questions on not only your economic capital but also your social and cultural capital results: 7 classes in Britain

The 7 classes of Britain the elite (6% of the population) the established middle class (25%) the technical middle class (6%) the new affluent workers (15%) the emergent service workers (14%) the traditional working class (19%) the precariat (15%) RED: upper class; GREEN: middle class (46%); BLUE: working class (48%)

Conclusions of the survey stereotypes of the middle and the working classes are out of date: those two groups are now very heterogeneous the traditional working class is changing the extremes of the class system are very important (Elite and Precariat): the very poor and the very rich still exist

2. Symptoms of an unequal society: education 2.1. The school curriculum education has been compulsory in Britain between the ages of 5 and 15 since the 1944 Education Act it set up a three-stage system: primary education (5-12 y), secondary (12-15 y) and further (15+ y) the main exam is taken at the end of secondary schoool: the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Students have three compulsory topics (Maths, English and Science) and they can choose other topics as well they will receive A* - C grades according to their performances they can then continue school and join the school sixth form, after which they can take A-Levels in the topics they want; this is necessary if they want to get into university

2. Symptoms of an unequal society: education 2.2. A two-speed system? 86% of pupils go to state schools or comprehensive schools that don’t select their pupils 4% of pupils go to free grammar schools (selective schools, 164 left in Britain) 7% of pupils go to public schools (= private, fee-paying schools), which are selective

Public schools Eton boys, £30,000/year Harrow boys, £28,000/year

Public schools: royalty, politicians, and artists…

a girl-only boarding public school: Wycombe Abbey £36,000 a year

Public schools disproportionate representation of former public school boys and girls in top positions: 71% senior judges 62% senior armed forces 55% political secretaries 54% of top media professionals  networks of influence and power

2. Symptoms of an unequal society: education 2.3. University admission and education Admissions: before sitting A-Levels, students are given an offer based on a letter of application, an interview and a school report then they know which of the UK’s 100 universities they will get in

Types of universities ‘ancient universities’, dating back from the 13th century (Oxford, Cambridge), 15th century (St Andrew’s, Glasgow), 16th century (Edinburgh) ‘red brick universities’, built at the end of the 19th century (Manchester, Liverpool) new universities, built in the 1960s to cater to the increasing number of students (outside campuses: Warwick, Kingston)

University curriculum and fees Bachelor’s degree (BA): 3 years Master’s degree (MA): 2 years PhD: 3 years Tuition fees are very high: 2004: Labour allowed universities to charge up to £3,000/year 2010: LibDem/Tory allowed universities to charge up to £9,000/year 64 universities now charge £9,000/year students can get a student loan