Upper class is a concept in sociology that refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" Social hierarchy is a multi-tiered pyramid-like social or functional structure having an apex as the centralization of power Members of an upper class often have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.
The phrase "upper class" has had a complex range of meanings and usages. In many traditional societies, membership of the upper class was hard or even impossible to acquire by any means other than being born into it. Despite this chance of upward mobility, the upper class is, according to many sociologists, unattainable to those not born into upper-class families.
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Historical meaning
Historically, members of an upper class often did not have to work for a living, as they were supported by earned or inherited investments, although members of the upper class may have had less actual money than merchants. Investment or investing is a term with several closely-related meanings in Business management, Finance and Economics, related to saving Upper-class status commonly derived from the social position of one's family and not from one's own achievements or wealth. Much of the population that comprised the upper class consisted of aristocrats, ruling families, titled people, and religious vassals. These people were usually born into their status and historically there was not much movement across class boundaries. This is to say that it was much harder for an individual to move up in class simply because of the structure of society.
In many countries the term "upper class" was intimately associated with hereditary land ownership and titles. Political power was often in the hands of the landowners in many pre-industrial societies (which was one of the causes of the French Revolution), despite there being no legal barriers to land ownership for other social classes. Pre-industrial society refers to specific social attributes and forms of political and cultural organization that were prevalent before the advent of the Industrial Revolution The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Power began to shift from upper-class landed families to the general population in the early modern age, leading to marital alliances between the two groups, providing the foundation for the modern upper classes in the West. Upper-class landowners in Europe were often also members of the titled nobility, though not necessarily: the prevalence of titles of nobility varied widely from country to country. Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime Some upper classes (or noble classes) were almost entirely untitled, for example, the Szlachta of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Szlachta ( refers to the noble class in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (since 1569 semi-federal semi-confederal The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic
United States
In the United States the upper class, also referred to simply as the rich, is often considered to consist of those with great influence and wealth. The American upper class describes the sociological concept pertaining to the "top layer" of society in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In this respect the US differs from countries such as the UK where membership of the 'upper class' is also dependent on other factors. The American upper class is estimated to constitute less than 1% of the population. The main distinguishing feature of the class is its ability to derive enormous incomes from wealth rather than work. Income in the United States is measured by the United States Department of Commerce either by household or individual. Wealth in the United States is commonly measured in terms of Net worth which is the sum of all Assets including Home equity minus all liabilities [1][2][3] CEOs, heirs to fortunes, successful venture capitalists, as well as celebrities, are considered members of this class by contemporary sociologists, such as James Henslin or Dennis Gilbert. [1] There may be prestige differences between different upper-class households. Bruce Willis, for example, might not be accorded as much prestige as Bill Clinton. Walter Bruce Willis (March 19 1955 is an American actor and Singer-songwriter. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States [2] Yet, all members of this class are so influential and wealthy as to be considered members of the upper class. [1]
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"Upper-class families. . . dominate corporate America and have a disproportionate influence over the nation's political, educational, religious, and other institutions. Of all social classes, members of the upper class also have a strong sense of solidarity and 'consciousness of kind' that stretches across the nation and even the globe. " -William Thompson & Joseph Hickey, Society in Focus, 2005. [2] |
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While most sociologists define the upper class as the wealthiest 1%, sociologist Leonard Beeghley classifies all households with a net worth of $1 million or more as "rich," while classifying the wealthiest 0. Leonard Beeghley is Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida since 1975 9% as the "super-rich. " Since the 1970s income inequality in the United States has been increasing, with the top 1% experiencing significantly larger gains in income than the rest of society. Income inequality in the United States is the extent to which income, most commonly measured by household or individual, is distributed in an uneven [4][5][6] Social scientists (such as Alan Greenspan) see it as a problem for society, with Greenspan calling it a "very disturbing trend. Alan Greenspan (born March 6 1926 in New York City) is an American Economist and was from 1987 to 2006 the Chairman of the Federal Reserve of "[7][8]
According to the book Who Rules America?, by Domhoff, the distribution of wealth in America is the primary highlight of the influence of the upper class. The top 1% of Americans own around 34% of the wealth in the U. S. while the bottom 80% own only approximately 16% of the wealth. This large disparity displays the unequal distribution of wealth in America in absolute terms. [9]
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, entry to the upper class is still considered difficult, if not impossible, to attain unless one is born into it. Marriage into upper-class families rarely results in complete integration, since many factors (to be outlined below) raise a challenging barrier between the upper, upper middle, and middle classes. The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the Social group constituted by higher-status members of the Middle class. The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power.
Titles, while often considered central to the upper class, are not always strictly so. Both Captain Mark Phillips and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, the respective first and second husbands of HRH The Princess Anne lacked any rank of peerage, yet could scarcely be considered to be anything other than upper class. Mark Anthony Peter Phillips, CVO, ADC(P (born 22 September 1948) is a former Olympic gold-medal-winning horseman and first husband The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. The same is true of Francis Fulford, who memorably featured in Channel 4's documentary The F***ing Fulfords and whose family has owned estates in Devon for over 800 years. Francis Fulford may refer to Francis Fulford (bishop (1803 – 1868 Anglo-Catholic bishop of Montreal Francis Fulford (born Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began The F***ing Fulfords is a documentary-style programme directed by Norman Hull shown in August 2004 about Francis Fulford and his family showcased on the United Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name
That being said, those in possession of an hereditary (as opposed, importantly, to a conferred) peerage - for example a Dukedom, an Earldom, or a Barony (though any of these may be conferred) - will, almost invariably be members of the upper class. Earl was the Anglo-Saxon form and jarl the Scandinavian form of a title meaning " Chieftain " and referring especially to chieftains
Where one was educated is often considered to be more important than the level of education attained. Traditionally, upper class children will be brought up - at home - by a Nanny for the first few years of life, until old enough to attend a well-established prep school or pre-preparatory school. In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school (usually abbreviated to prep school Moving into secondary education, it is still commonplace for upper-class children to attend one of Britain's prestigious public schools (such as those in the Eton Group or Rugby Group) although it is not unheard of for certain families to send their children to Grammar schools. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and The Eton Group consists of 12 well known independent schools in the United Kingdom, the most famous of which is Eton College The Rugby Group consists of well-known British independent schools It is similar to other groups of independent schools known as the Eton Group A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries [10]
Insofar as continuing education goes, this can vary from family to family; it may, in part, be based on the educational history of the family. In the past, both the British Army and Clergy have been the institutions of choice, but the same can equally apply to the Royal Navy, or work in the Diplomatic Corps. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign Diplomats accredited to a particular country or body HRH Prince Harry of Wales, for instance, has recently completed his training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in preparation for entry into the Army. For actual Princes of Wales called Henry see Henry Prince of Wales. The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst ( RMAS) commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is the British Army officer initial training centre Otherwise, Oxbridge and other 'traditional' universities (such as Durham University and St Andrews University) are the most popular sources of higher education for the upper class, although a high academic standard is required and social class does not as readily secure entry as it once did. Oxbridge was originally a fictional composite of the University of '''Ox'''ford and the University of Cam'''bridge''' in England, and the term is now Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name The University of St Andrews is the oldest University in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having been founded between
Sports - particularly those involving the outdoors - are a popular pastime, and are usually taken up from a school age or before, and improved upon throughout the educational years. Traditionally, at school, Rugby union is much more popular than Association Football: indeed, the two sports are often taken to represent the two extremes of social classes 'at play'. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Other frequented sports include lawn tennis (which has a broad appeal and could hardly be considered to be dominated by any one class), croquet (quite the opposite) and cricket. Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) Croquet is a Game played both as a recreational Pastime and as a competitive Sport which involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries
Equestrian activities are also popular - with both sexes. There is a long-standing tradition of the upper class having close links to horses; indeed, one of the foremost example of three-day eventing prowess is Zara Philips, daughter of Princess Anne and recently-crowned Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year. Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises Dressage, cross-country and Show-jumping. Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, MBE (born 15 May 1981 is the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne Princess Royal and her first husband Captain Mark Men who ride will more often participate in Polo, as is the case with both HRH Prince Charles and his sons, Their Royal Highnesses Prince William and Prince Harry. Polo is a team sport played outdoors on Horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team For actual Princes of Wales called Henry see Henry Prince of Wales.
Hunting and shooting, too, are favoured pastimes. Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking chase and sometimes killing of a fox traditionally a Red fox, by trained Foxhounds or other Scent hounds Shooting is the act or process of firing Rifles Shotguns or other projectile Weapons such as bows or Crossbows Even the firing of Some upper class families with large estates will run their own shoots (typically they would need 1,000 acres (4 km²), or more, though some shoots do operate on about half that), but many will know someone who keeps pheasants, or other game, and may instead shoot with them. The Common Pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus) is a bird in the Pheasant family (Phasianidae Game is any Animal hunted for Food or not normally domesticated (such as Venison) Much as with horses, there is a particular affinity for dogs (especially Labradors and Spaniels) amongst the upper class - and, equally, sporting pursuits that involve them. The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of Gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game It should, however, be noted that none of the aforementioned sports are, of course, exclusively upper-class.
Language, pronunciation and writing style have been, consistently, one of the most reliable indicators of class. (Upper and otherwise. ) The variations between the language employed by the upper classes and those not of the upper classes has, perhaps, been best documented by linguistic Professor Alan Ross's 1954 article on U and non-U English usage. The discussion was perhaps most famously furthered in Noblesse Oblige - and featured contributions from, among others, Nancy Mitford. Interestingly, the debate was revisited in the mid-seventies, in a publication by Debrett's called 'U and Non-U revisited'. Ross contributed to this volume too, and it is remarkable to notice how little the language (amongst other factors) changed in the passing of a quarter of a century.
With specific regard to pronunciation, much is made of the lower-class (albeit slightly regional) tendency towards dropped consonants - for instance, ‘li’lle’ for ‘little’ or ‘’ow are you?’ for ‘how are you?’. The upper class are also distinguishable, though from the absence of vowels in their speech - thus, ‘handkerchief’ becomes ‘hnkrchf‘, ‘venison’ becomes ‘vnsn‘ and 'Shropshire' becomes 'Shrpshr'.
The choice of house ('home', to a non-U-speaker), too, is an important feature of the upper classes. While it is true that there are fewer upper class families nowadays that are able to maintain both the well-staffed town house and country house than in the past, there are still many families which have an hereditary 'seat' somewhere in the country that they have managed to retain: Woburn Abbey, for example, has been in the family of the Duke of Bedford for centuries. Historically in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries a townhouse (or a "house in town" was a residence of a peer or member of the The English country house is generally accepted as a large House or Mansion, once in the ownership of an individual who also usually owned another Great The titles of Earl or Duke of Bedford (named after Bedford, England) were created several times in Many upper class country homes are now open to the public, or have been placed in the care of the National Trust to aid with the funding of much-needed repairs. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales (In some cases, both are true).
The inside of a house, however grand the façade, is equally indicative of class. Upper class homes (if privately owned, and not staffed) tend to be comparatively untidy composites of grand furniture - having been inherited - which may have become frayed and threadbare over time and vast piles of ancient books, papers and other old reading material for which there is now no home.
Many upper class families will be in possession of works of art by old masters, valuable sculpture or period furniture, having had said pieces handed down through several generations. "Dutch Masters" redirects here for the cigar see Dutch Masters (cigar. Indeed, inheriting the vast majority of one's possessions is the traditional form in upper class families. On that point, there is a well-known derisory quotation from Conservative politician Alan Clark, who referred to cabinet colleague Michael Heseltine as the kind of person who 'bought his own furniture'. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark (13 April 1928 &ndash 5 September 1999 was a British Conservative Politician, Historian and Diarist A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative (The former was then put down himself by a Baron as "the kind of person who bought his own castle". Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber )
So too is the organisation (or lack thereof) of the garden an important upper class trait. Bedding plants, rockeries, hanging baskets and goldfish ponds will all have been banished in favour of box hedges, shrub roses, herbaceous borders and stone pathways. Upper class gardens will look more natural and unconstructed than artificially preened (although as with houses, this is not always true where staff are employed). [11]
Money and material possessions are often thought of as a less important factor as regards the United Kingdom's upper class than those upper classes of other countries, but, although this allows for an upper class family to be impoverished, an upper class family is likely to have had wealth at some point in its history.
Vast financial prosperity (only slightly dependent on how it is earned) is the subject of derision and contempt - the nickname “fat cat”, encompassing more than just one's wages, is not one often levelled at members of the upper class. According to Kate Fox, the present-day anthropologist, the main difference between the English and American social system is that in the latter, the rich and powerful believe they deserve their wealth and power and are more complacent. In the former, they tend to have a greater sense of social responsibility and compassion for those less privileged than themselves. [12]
Rest of the world
In Australia and the United Kingdom, the term "upper class" is now sometimes used pejoratively by the middle and lower classes, as in the stereotypical term, "upper-class twit", and Australian and British people may be more anxious to avoid being labelled "upper class" (or even "upper middle class") than their American or Canadian counterparts, although the overall validity of such a comparison may be questioned. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt A stereotype (from Greek: stereo + týpos = "solid impression" is a generalized perception of first impressions behaviors presumed by a group The Upper Class Twit of the Year is a classic comedy sketch that was seen on the TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus, and also in a modified format as For more on this phenomenon, see reverse snobbery, Australian mateship, and class consciousness. A snob, guilty of snobbery, is someone who adopts the Worldview that some people are inherently inferior to him/her for any one of a variety of reasons including Culture of Australia Mateship is an Australian cultural Idiom that embodies equality, Loyalty and Friendship. Class consciousness, literally is consciousness of one's Social class.
Social class in Canada, as an observable phenomenon, though more subtle perhaps than in the U. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page S. , is also not as entrenched as in Europe nor as taboo a topic as it is in Britain and Australia, though it remains a matter of controversy (see for example, the debate over the granting of a life peerage to former Canadian citizen, Conrad Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, and the remarks of then Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien about creating an aristocracy in Canada, and his insistence on upholding the Nickle Resolution). A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Conrad Moffat Black Baron Black of Crossharbour PC, KCSG, OC, (born 25 August 1944, in Montreal, Quebec) is Conrad Moffat Black Baron Black of Crossharbour PC, KCSG, OC, (born 25 August 1944, in Montreal, Quebec) is Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime The Canadian titles debate has been ongoing since the adoption of the Nickle Resolution in 1919
Social class in the Dominican Republic has remained relatively unchanged over the years. The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with A social class system still exists, and it is popularly understood that the different classes do not mix, especially the first and third classes. The "first" class are the rich, powerful, and celebrated. They also have most control over the country.
See also
- Ruling class
- Upper middle class
- Professional class
- Managerial Class
- Gold-collar worker
- Political Donor Class
- Household income in the United States
- Influence in the United States
References
- Number of households with net-worths over one million dollars
- Relationship between income and education
- "The Aristocracy – how the ruling class survives" on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time featuring David Cannadine, Rosemary Sweet and Felipe Fernandez-Armesto
- ^ a b c Gilbert, Dennis (1998). The term ruling class refers to the Social class of a given society that decides upon and sets that society's political policy The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the Social group constituted by higher-status members of the Middle class. The American middle class is an ambiguously defined Social class in the United States. The American middle class is an ambiguously defined Social class in the United States. Gold-collar worker (GCW is a Neologism which has been used to describe either young low-wage workers who invest in conspicuous Luxury (often with parental support Household income is a measure of current private income commonly used by the United States government and private institutions In Our Time is a discussion programme hosted by Melvyn Bragg on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom. The American Class Structure. New York: Wadsworth Publishing. 0-534-50520-1.
- ^ a b c Thompson, William; Joseph Hickey (2005). Society in Focus. Boston, MA: Pearson. 0-205-41365-X.
- ^ Williams, Brian; Stacey C. Sawyer, Carl M. Wahlstrom (2005). Marriages, Families & Intimate Relationships. Boston, MA: Pearson. 0-205-36674-0.
- ^ Johnston, D. (29 March, 2007). Income Gap Is Widening, Data Shows. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun.
- ^ Thomas, E. & Gross, D. (23 July, 2007). Taxing the Rich. Newsweek.
- ^ Johnston, D. (5 June, 2005). Richest Are Leaving Even the Richest Far Behind. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun.
- ^ Pizzigati, S. (7 November, 2005). Alan Greenspan, Egalitarian?. TomPaine.com.. Retrieved on 2007-06-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun.
- ^ Greenspan, A. (28 August, 1998). Remarks by Chairman Alan Greenspan. The Federal Reserve Board.. Retrieved on 2007-06-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun.
- ^ [G. William] (2005). Who Rules America: Power, Politics, & Social Change, 5th ed. . McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0072876255.
- ^ Douglas Sutherland, "The English Gentleman"
- ^ Charles Quest-Ritson, "The English Garden"
- ^ Kate Fox, "Watching the English"
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In Sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of Social classes Castes and strata within a Society. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. The term ruling class refers to the Social class of a given society that decides upon and sets that society's political policy Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime White-collar worker refers to a salaried professional or an educated Worker who performs semi-professional office administrative and sales coordination tasks as opposed to Petit-bourgeoisie (or petty bourgeois through Folk etymology) is a French term that originally referred to the members of the lower middle social-classes The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the Social group constituted by higher-status members of the Middle class. The creative class is a group of people that social scientist Dr Gentry generally refers to people of high Social class, especially in the past The proletariat (from Latin la ''proles'' "offspring" is a term used to identify a lower Social class; a member of such a class is proletarian The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types Nouveau riche ( French for "new rich" or new money, refers to a person who has acquired considerable Wealth within his or her A Parvenu is a person that is a relative newcomer to a socioeconomic class A pink-collar worker works in a job that is considered traditionally female (these traditions generally harking back to the first half of the twentieth century Lumpenproletariat (a German word meaning "raggedy proletariat" is a term first defined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in In developed nations across the earth the lower middle class, is a sub-division of the greater Middle class which constitutes by far the largest socio-economic class Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types Old Money is a term that refers to the established Upper class. Gold-collar worker (GCW is a Neologism which has been used to describe either young low-wage workers who invest in conspicuous Luxury (often with parental support A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another The contemporary concept of the underclass is a sanitized term for what was known in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as the undeserving poor and may have been coined by American sociologist This article is translated from and may fit related articles there better. There is considerable controversy regarding social class in the United States, and it remains a concept with many competing definitions The American upper class describes the sociological concept pertaining to the "top layer" of society in the United States. The American middle class is an ambiguously defined Social class in the United States. The concept of a lower class in the United States is used to describe those at or near the lower end of the socio-economic hierarchy. Income in the United States is measured by the United States Department of Commerce either by household or individual. The educational attainment of the US population is similar to that of many other industrialized countries with the vast majority of the population having completed secondary educationDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic