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1485
Social classes in Tudor England
The social classes were the following by order of importance:
1- The Curch and the Pope
2- Monarchs
3- Nobility
4- Knights
5- Vassals
6- Merchants, farmers, craftmen
7- Peasants, serfs
8- Beggars -
Social classes in the 17th century
There were three main different classes by this time:
1- UPPER CLASS: Consisted of the king, king’s advisors, nobles, and high church officials. They held an expensive and elegant lifestyle. 2- MIDDLE CLASS: Merchants, manufactures, landowners, professionals, military officers etc. This middle class was not rich nor poor. 3- LOWER CLASS: Essentially peasants and beggars. These people were the poorest of english society. -
Social classes in the 18th century
1- Wealthy Landowners: The most powerful group.
2- Gentry: Gentlemen, merchants, wealthy tradesmen, and well-off manufacturers.
3- Yeoman: Those who owned and worked their own land.
4- Middle Class: The upper middle class included certain professionals and merchants. The lower middle class included artisans, shopkeepers, and tradesmen.
5- Laboring Poor: All who worked in rural areas and did menial jobs.
6- Black Britons: Black slaves. Their labor made commodities available and cheap. -
Social classes in the 19th century
1- UPPER CLASS: Royal, those who came from a royal family, Middle Upper, important officers and lords, and Lower Upper, wealthy men and business owners. 2- MIDDLE CLASS: High middle: The Bourgeoisie.
Low middle: Working class. 3- LOWER CLASS: Those who relied on the help of others such as orphans, unskilled women and beggars. -
Social classes in 20th century
1- Royalty and aristocracy: The wealthiest members with the most political power.
2- Middle class: Mainly professionals, managers and senior civil servants. They also owned the land that the working class should work on.
3- Working class: Now depicted as the lower class. These people were employed to work for the upper classes. -
Social classes now
The nowaday's english social classes are the following:
1- Elite
2- Established middle class
3- Technical middle class
4- New affluent workers
5- Traditional working class
6- Emergent service workers
7- Precariat, or precarious proletariat
