Society in England

Introduccion

Society in England has had different divisions throughout history, such as social classes, status of freedom and slavery, and social seasons. The evolution of social classes throughout history will be presented in the next paragraphs.

Middle Age

• King : They had the power, along with the clergy.
• High clergy and high nobility : Together with the kings, they had power and controlled the population through religion. It was made up of bishops and high-ranking officials of the Church, generals of high-ranking officials of the army, and advisors to the king.
• Lower clergy and lower nobility : These were the illustrious knights who accompanied the king, as well as people trusted by the governors and who had privileges due to their status. Also the more modest positions in the Church, such as parish priests.
• Bourgeoisie and army : Likewise, the knights in charge of going into battle were in this same status. For this reason, the king recognized them with a more privileged status. Sometimes, these knights, for their exploits in combat, obtained the privilege of rising in social class.
• Free people : They were the lowest social stratum, along with the serfs. They did not have many privileges. They had to pay a portion of their earnings to the king.
• Serfs : They were slaves. They didn’t have rights. Nor did they earn any profits. The marginalized and the beggars were also found in this stratum.

Contemporary Age

• The highest class was known as the aristocracy. It included the Church and the nobility, and had great power and wealth. They made up 2% of the population, and owned most of the land.
• The middle class was made up of the bourgeoisie, the working middle class. They were the factory owners, bankers, shop owners, merchants, lawyers, engineers, businessmen, and other professionals.
• The British lower class was made up of two sections: the "working class" and the "poor". The lower class included men, women, and children who performed various kinds of activities, including factory work, sewing, chimney sweeping, mining, and other jobs. But the poorest and middle classes had to bear high taxes.

The Industrial Revolution

• Bourgeoisie: Owner of the means of production and possessor of most of the income and capital.
• Proletariat: They are industrial workers and poor peasants.

Modern Age

• Elite :  This is the most privileged group in the United Kingdom. This group has the highest levels of capital, both economic, social and cultural. It corresponds to 6% of British society.They are: CEOs, telecommunications directors, judges, financial directors, dentists, doctors, etc.
• Established middle class :  This is the second richest group, and scores a high mark among the three capitals mentioned in the previous point. It is the largest and most sociable group, and the second highest in cultural capital. It corresponds to 25% of the population. They are: engineers and police officers, among others.
• Technical middle class : This is a small group, a new prosperous class, but with little social and cultural capital. They are distinguished by their social isolation and cultural apathy. They make up 6% of British society and represent pilots, pharmacists and scientists, among other groups.
• New afluent workers :  They are a young, socially and culturally active group with medium levels of economic capital. They make up 15% of the British population: electricians, postmen, kitchen assistants.
• Traditional working class :  This class scores low on all forms of capital. Its members have reasonably high values ​​in their homes. This group has the oldest average age: 66 years. They make up 14% of the population: electronics technicians, cleaners, drivers, and etc.
• Emerging service workers : This is a new group of young people, urban and relatively poor, but with a high level of social and cultural capital. They make up 19% of the total classes: waiters, cooks, babysitters, musicians and etc.
• Precariat :  This is the poorest and most disadvantaged class, with a low score in social and cultural capital. It occupies 15% of the population: dealers, carpenters, garbage collectors and etc.

Conclusion

Today, although the dividing lines may seem more blurred and class identity has become more subjective, social class remains an influential factor in people's lives in England. The Great British Class Survey's seven-class model highlights the complexity of the modern social structure, revealing new divisions and the importance of cultural and social capital, as well as economic capital.

Time to review!

Let’s practice about the society in England with the next link:

https://wordwall.net/resource/91990339

What factors do you think determine a person's social class in England today? Is it primarily wealth, occupation, education, family heritage, or a combination of these and other factors?

Bibliography

Inglaterra.Ws. (2022, November 24). Sociedad de Inglaterra - Inglaterra.ws. Inglaterra.ws. https://www.inglaterra.ws/sociedad-de-inglaterra/

Barbarapadilla. (2015, November 21). Las 7 clases sociales de Gran Bretaña. Bristoleños.com. https://bristolenos.com/2015/11/19/las-7-clases-sociales-de-gran-bretana/

Dyer, C. (2005). An age of transition?: economy and society in England in the later Middle Ages. OUP Oxford.

Spring, D. (1963). Aristocracy, social structure, and religion in the early Victorian period. Victorian Studies, 6(3), 263-280.

Langton, J. (1984). The industrial revolution and the regional geography of England. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 145-167.