Are you working class and proud of it?

[tinyjo]

Listening to the Today programme this morning I hear that apparently about 60% of people agree with the statement "I'm working class and proud of it". They had a couple of people on to discuss this, one of whom tried to define what it meant to be working class by suggesting that it was all about your family connections (he claimed Cherie Blair was working class because she lived close to her mum for childcare) in some nebulous fashion.

The whole thing struck me as rather odd. When I think of class, I tend to think of education at least for the lower 2 - nearly everyone who's been to university is at least middle class by the end of it while those people who never did any work then left after their GCSEs are generally working class.

So, what do you think?

[Poll #54709]

Comments

[smithi1.livejournal.com]

They also said today that polls consistently indicate that 60-70% of the Great British Public is in favour of capital punishment.

[swisstone.livejournal.com]

You know, if more than one or two people claim to be upper or working class on this poll, I'll really be very surprised.

Re: class system and ideology

[dotty.livejournal.com]

OK. My friends don't really know my background: my dad is retired from being a road worker (road building forklift driver, or something like that) and my mum is a retired childminder. I wouldn't say that going to University is relevant, especially in France, as it is free so anyone can have a go. I tend to have socialist ideas and my job is probably not going to change much for the rest of my life. My brothers and sister don't live very far from my parent's place, in fact, no further than 5 miles!! Deep down, I think I consider myself part of the working class but your opinion on the subject is welcome.

Re: classes/status

[dotty.livejournal.com]

Dear Tinyjo

I think everyone here is confused about the meaning of the word "class". It seems to me you are all getting mixed up between classes and status. Anyway, the subject of this talk is bollocks, as a person shouldn't be defined by their class. Class is a rather English idea, isn't it?

[andypop.livejournal.com]

This is off topic, but thanks for the fab CD!

[andypop.livejournal.com]

Someone once said, incidentally, that it's only the middle classes who think class doesn't matter...

Re: links

[dotty.livejournal.com]

Dear all

Please check these links, they may have some relevance!

http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/papers/Intro1.doc

http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/papers/Intro2.doc

http://www.sociology.org.uk/cdequal.htm

http://www.sociologyonline.co.uk/soc_essays/Class.htm