Does class distinction matter anymore? The days of class war instigated by orthodox political ideologies are long behind us, but class consciousness certainly is not. I must admit that life was much simpler when the Western world recognised three classes: nobility or high class, middle class and working class.
Class distinction and the anxiety it brings in many persists, according to studies conducted by Mike Savage, professor of the London School of Economics, who conducted research for the BBC a few years ago. Savage developed a new classification of social classes that could replace the simpler ones that have persisted for over 50 years.
Politicians, economists and sociologists are constantly researching the aspirations of the middle class, even if these terms continue to defy a precise definition, because so many different people with entirely different characteristics seem to stick with this brand in everything they own and do. Most political parties aim to endear themselves with the middle classes as they assume they carry the most weight in the electorate.
The Savage research revealed that 46 per cent of people in the UK consider themselves middle class. Savage now breaks up this group into three: the traditional middle class, the technical middle class, mainly skilled workers, and the ‘new affluent workers’ who own their homes and have above-average incomes.
Most British people, and probably also Maltese, consider themselves belonging to the middle class. Some time ago, the former colourful deputy leader of the British Labour Party, John Prescott, conducted a TV programme to establish how people classed themselves socially. He knocked on doors and asked quite bluntly: “To what social class do you consider yourself to belong?” A single mother quickly replied: “I am middle class, of course!” To which Prescott replied: “Surely you meant working class.” The young mother retorted: “But how can I be working class if I have never worked.”
What used to be classed as nobility or high class is now labelled as ‘elite’. In the UK, the six per cent of the population that makes up this category are usually “Oxford or Cambridge educated, hold a CEO job in finance, or are dentists, love classical music, jazz and art, and live in London or the Home counties”. According to Savage, they also tend to “talk to each other”.
Understanding the aspirations of the different strata of society is as difficult as it always was, because society is more than just pigeonholes
The following three categories make up the middle class. The “established middle class”, according to Savage, is characterised by earning about €75,000, having a university education, and including many top-ranking civil servants. They tend to live in the suburbs and rural areas. They also like to mingle with each other and ‘lower groups’.
The “technical middle class” is made up mostly of people who hold a science degree. Typical jobs of those in this class are pilots, IT experts and pharmacists. Savage claims that this middle-class brand suffers from “cultural apathy” and tends to mingle with “other experts”.
The third element of the middle class is made up of the “new affluent”. Few of those belonging to this category have a tertiary education. People working in sales or as engineers usually fall into this category. They love communicating on social media and tend to live in the Midlands and the North of England. They are less snobbish than other middle-class elements and, according to Savage, mingle with “lower social groups”.
Savage breaks up the traditional lower or working class into three: traditional working, emergent services, and precariat. The traditional working class usually comprises people with low educational qualifications. Secretaries, lorry drivers and electricians usually form part of this top end of the working class. Most of these workers are found in Scotland and Wales and have “a moderate interest in music and art”.
Emerging services workers are people with jobs in healthcare and hotel services. Some have art degrees and like pop music, sports and social networks. Ethnic minorities tend to populate this social class.
The precariat class comprises poorly paid workers like gig workers, cleaners and cashiers but also includes the unemployed. Understandably, they have little or no interest in culture and earn less than €12,000 yearly.
Some may disagree with Savage’s new classifications. However, political and business marketers will be examining the results of this research to see how they can lure more people to buy their ideas, goods and services.
Understanding the aspirations of the different strata of society is as difficult as it always was, because society is more than just pigeonholes.