Which social/economic class do you belong to?

[Cyril Haearn]

This question is prompted by reading about an ambitious German politician, F Merz, who 'earns' €1m+ a year, although when challenged he seemed to be unsure how rich he was. He has two private aircraft, he describes himself as upper middle class. Someone said, the second aircraft would nudge him into the upper class

Also prompted by a discussion on these fora about making bread being a middle-class activity

Eric Blair belonged to the lower upper middle-class, his family was not so rich

Which class do you belong to? Is "class" outdated and no longer useful? Does education count more than money? Do both count, go together? Have you changed class, moved 'up' or 'down'?

You have one vote, it may be changed

[Oldjohnw]

This question is prompted by reading about an ambitious German politician, F Merz, who 'earns' €1m+ a year, although when challenged he seemed to be unsure how rich he was. He has two private aircraft, he describes himself as upper middle class. Someone said, the second aircraft would nudge him into the upper class

Also prompted by a discussion on these fora about making bread being a middle-class activity

Eric Blair belonged to the lower upper middle-class, his family was not so rich

Which class do you belong to? Is "class" outdated and no longer useful? Does education count more than money? Do both count, go together? Have you changed class, moved 'up' or 'down'?

You have one vote, it may be changed

Values are what matter.

[gbnz]

Which class do you belong to? Is "class" outdated and no longer useful? Does education count more than money? Do both count, go together? Have you changed class, moved 'up' or 'down'?d

Values are what matter.[/quote]

Perhaps, but whilst distinguishing individuals by class may be a bit simplistic, the reality does exist that class does exist . I too am based in Northumberland; in a historic, attractive, country town, long renowned for being a "two tier" town.

In short it's unusual in that despite being a "country" town, the mass of the local population is on the par with the worst inner city surburbs you may have ever heard about; it's heavy smoking, heavy drinking, aggresive, tracksuit clad population living a life on benefits, shopping in "their" shops, in between slapping the kids, chucking, bricks through the neighbours windows, going for a hi speed spin in the uninsured car with the purposely blown exhaust system.

As opposed to the oher tier. University educated, professional, widely travelled, cyclists who bake bake bread routinely

Class is definitely distinguished by much more than money. Education may be part of it, though I'd suggest that social development in earlier years is a key aspect of class (NB. I'm sure we've all come across that dim witted, so and so, who can immediately be recognized as being a gentleman or lady . Though in my experience class is a much less defining aspect of more egalitarian parts of the/a country where opportunities are available to a wider proportion of society I.e. London, South East England, Midlands or abroad I.e. Canada, New Zealand, Australia (NB. Whilst Northumberland isn't a post industrial society other than in South East Northumberland, it has many of the characteristics of a post industrial society)

[Mick F]

I know what I'm not, but not what I am so there's nothing I can tick.

Class structure is up to debate methinks.

When I woz at skool, the upper class were titled people and royalty and major landowners and people of "independent means".
Middle class was the professionals - doctors, lawyers, professors, accountants etc who were salary paid.
Working class was people who earned wages by going to work - shipyards, mines, factories etc.

All this has been swept aside nowadays.

My father's side of the family were salary paid and white collar working in business offices in accountancy, but my mother's side were from coal-mining stock and very much blue collar.

However, my mother became a teacher and eventually head of department at Wigan Girls' High School, and her younger sister became a nurse and moved out to Detroit, Michigan where she made a new life in the medical world.

Mother's older brother moved out to Florida and became the president of a large printing firm in West Palm Beach, and her younger brother became a draftsman and designer at Leyland Motors.

I'm a product of all those people, and so is my sister.
Educated, intelligent, hard working, healthy and happy. That's all that counts.

[Oldjohnw]

Perhaps, but whilst distinguishing individuals by class may be a bit simplistic, the reality does exist that class does exist . I too am based in Northumberland; in a historic, attractive, country town, long renowned for being a "two tier" town.

In short it's unusual in that despite being a "country" town, the mass of the local population is on the par with the worst inner city surburbs you may have ever heard about; it's heavy smoking, heavy drinking, aggresive, tracksuit clad population living a life on benefits, shopping in "their" shops, in between slapping the kids, chucking, bricks through the neighbours windows, going for a hi speed spin in the uninsured car with the purposely blown exhaust system.

As opposed to the oher tier. University educated, professional, widely travelled, cyclists who bake bake bread routinely

Class is definitely distinguished by much more than money. Education may be part of it, though I'd suggest that social development in earlier years is a key aspect of class (NB. I'm sure we've all come across that dim witted, so and so, who can immediately be recognized as being a gentleman or lady . Though in my experience class is a much less defining aspect of more egalitarian parts of the/a country where opportunities are available to a wider proportion of society I.e. London, South East England, Midlands or abroad I.e. Canada, New Zealand, Australia (NB. Whilst Northumberland isn't a post industrial society other than in South East Northumberland, it has many of the characteristics of a post industrial society

I know too many of the latter! They speak well and sound clever but their thought processes are, to say the least, shallow, vague and dull.

I am less sure of your "chav' stereotype even though I recognize some of the e characteristics. I have worked with them over decades and am of the view that most are less hopeless than the dim gentlemen referred to.

Our common characteristic and definite pride is that we are Northumbrian. I am hefted to this land.

[reohn2]

What does the OP hope to learn/gain by such a thread?
Or is he just curious to know how people see themselves?

[peterb]

Just where is this two-tier Northumbrian town? My son lives in a town in Northumberland - just wondering?

[T-800]

I’m working class but I think my dad would disagree.
I’m from a mining/steel background and a steel worker myself but am not “working class” like my parents and grand parents.
We just have/can afford stuff now that was not possible even as little as 40 years ago.
I remember driving to Edinburgh in 1977 and dads Mini Traveller radiator sprung a leak.We had to keep stopping to fill it up until we got to a garage.The cost of repair was dads budget for the planned holiday.We stayed in Edinburgh a day or two and had to come home.That just wouldn’t happen now!
I think class is more a mind set nowadays.

[peetee]

Class seems, more often that not, a label that is applied by others to those of a different outlook.

These days, Is it really an all-encompassing system? The working class used be the largest proportion of the population. These days that would be the family with corporate/independent tradesman and shop worker parents and I am not sure the majority of them would like such a lowly title as working class.

[Oldjohnw]

When I was a teenager in the late 1960s my friend and I had a Morgan 3 wheeler. We had a bump and in exchanging details with the other driver we asked for his phone number.

He replied: " I don't have one. Aa's not that class!"

I remember this like yesterday.

[Ben@Forest]

Our common characteristic and definite pride is that we are Northumbrian. I am hefted to this land.

The kingdom of Northumbria was everything on the eastern side of the country down to the Humber (hence the name) - by that definition I'm a Northumbrian. Northumberland is the bit which was left to form a county.

As to the OP tho - read 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox - some excellent observations of English mores, conventions and classes; especially the 'ironic-gnome' rule.

[Ben@Forest]

These days, Is it really an all-encompassing system? The working class used be the largest proportion of the population. These days that would be the family with corporate/independent tradesman and shop worker parents and I am not sure the majority of them would like such a lowly title as working class.

After his political career John Prescott presented a short TV series either on class or the working class. Interviewing youths on a shabby estate one girl said, 'Nah I'm not working class - l don't work.' It's probably on youtube somewhere.

[Cyril Haearn]

What does the OP hope to learn/gain by such a thread?
Or is he just curious to know how people see themselves?

Just want to learn and get myself and others thinking
I offer ten answers, but I should like to add two more:
Breadmaking middle-class
Cyclist
..
Anyone here changed class, 'up' or down?
..
@gbnz: no middle where you live?

[reohn2]

There is an evil I've seen under the sun,the sort of error that arises from a ruler.
Fools are put in many high positions,while the rich occupy the low ones.
I have seen slaves on horseback,while princes go on foot like slaves.

Ecclesiastes ch 10, verses 5,6 and 7.

[Oldjohnw]

What does the OP hope to learn/gain by such a thread?
Or is he just curious to know how people see themselves?

Just want to learn and get myself and others thinking
I offer ten answers, but I should like to add two more:
Breadmaking middle-class
Cyclist
..
Anyone here changed class, 'up' or down?
..
@gbnz: no middle where you live?

I presume that by standard thinking I have moved up. Social science doesn't do class but social groups A to F based on qualifications, management responsibilities, decision making autonomy but not income. After all, a lorry driver can earn significantly more than a highly qualified school teacher or clergyman. I believe such categorisation is used as much for marketing as anything else. The kind of holidays or entertainment which might appeal. Books or films to watch. Political views.