in the UK there are three main social classes 1. working class (people in lower paid and manual jobs) 2. middle classes (in non-manual jobs and higher aspirations) 3. upper classes (those with power,wealth and privilege)
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why is social class an important part of sociology?
many people believe that class has a strong affect on life chances e.g. marxists
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what evidence is there that class affects life chances?
conservative MP Justine Greening 2018 found that 50% of UK workers believe there is a class ceiling where personal connections help get the best jobs and regional accents and a working class background are barriers to success
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what do the new right sociologists Saunders and Murray believe about social class?
they believe we live in a classless society in the UK because anyone who has the ability and wants to get on can do so and having worse life chances is down to poor attitudes
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what did a sky news report in February 2018 show about the top 10% in the UK?
the top 10% had as much wealth as the bottom half and the 100 richest people in the UK have the same amount of money as the poorest 18 million
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what did Pierre Bourdieu argue about the advantages of higher social class?
he talked about cultural capital that helps higher social classes because of their connections, privileges and privet education which working class parents cannot afford
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what did Goldthorp and Lockwood prove through the affluent worker study in Luton car factories in 1962?
they found that the working class was changing by becoming richer but was not disappearing because they still had a working class culture
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how did Fiona Devine develop the Luton car worker study in the 1980s?
she found that a working class identity still existed and proved that we are not living in a classless society
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does class still exist in Britain? (arguments against)
no because 1. there are fewer manual jobs than in the past 2.the minimum wage gives everyone a good wage 3. many more young people go to university 4.fewer working class people are in trade class unions 5. people don't have job for life
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does class still exist in Britain? (arguments for)
yes because 1. some poorer children are disadvantaged in education 2. working class people are most likely to be deprived and have lower life expectancy and more mental health problems 3. the government is dominated by people with a privet education
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social class affects life chances and power (arguments for)
1. working class people are more likely to be victims of crime or in prison 2. working class people have less job security and more zero hour contracts 3. working class people are stereotyped in the media and are often linked to crime
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social class doesn't affect life chances and power (arguments against)
1. 51% of MPs in 2017 went to state schools 2. everyone has the same access to the NHS 3. more people go to university 4. many successful people have come from poor backgrounds e.g. Alan Sugar
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
why is social class an important part of sociology?
Back
many people believe that class has a strong affect on life chances e.g. marxists
Card 3
Front
what evidence is there that class affects life chances?
Back
Card 4
Front
what do the new right sociologists Saunders and Murray believe about social class?
Back
Card 5
Front
what did a sky news report in February 2018 show about the top 10% in the UK?
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