Social classA social class or social stratum is a grouping of people into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common ones being: the working class, the middle class and the upper class. Class is a subject of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, anthropologists and social historians. The term has a wide range of sometimes conflicting meanings, and there is no broad consensus on a definition of class.
Social stratificationSocial stratification refers to a society's hierarchical categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors such as wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political). It is a hierarchy within groups that ascribe them to different levels of privileges. As such, stratification is the relative social position of persons within a social group, category, geographic region, or social unit.
Nouveau richeNouveau riche (French for 'new rich'; French:), new rich, or new money (in contrast to old money; French: vieux riche) is a social class describing rich individuals whose wealth was acquired within their own lifetime, rather than by familial inheritance. These individuals had previously belonged to a lower social class or economic stratum (rank) within that class, but the acquisition of new money enabled upward social mobility.Middle classThe middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Common definitions for the middle class range from the middle fifth of individuals on a nation's income ladder, to everyone but the poorest and wealthiest 20%.
Upper middle classSocial class In sociology, the upper-middle class is the social group constituted by higher status members of the middle class, in contrast to the lower middle class. The definition is debated. Max Weber controversially defined it as the group of professionals with postgraduate degrees, but most Americans and Europeans identify income, autonomy within work, and cultural privilege, as the primary determiners of class.
Working classThe working class is a group of people in a social hierarchy, typically defined by earning wages or salaries through their ability to work. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most common definitions of "working class" in use in the United States limit its membership to workers who hold blue-collar and pink-collar jobs, or whose income is insufficiently high to place them in the middle class, or both.
NobilityOfficial privileged social classThe House of Lords is the upper legislature of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is filled with members that are selected from the aristocracy (those ennobled only for their individual lives).Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics.
AristocracyForm of government Aristocracy (from Ancient Greek ἀριστοκρατίᾱ (aristokratíā) 'rule of the best'; from ἄριστος (áristos) 'best' and κράτος (krátos) 'power, strength') is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats.
Economic inequalityEconomic inequality is an umbrella term for three concepts: income inequality, how the total sum of money paid to people is distributed among them; wealth inequality, how the total sum of wealth owned by people is distributed among the owners; and consumption inequality, how the total sum of money spent by people is distributed among the spenders.
Old moneyLook up in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Power (political science)In political science, power is the ability to direct the actions and conduct of others. Political power is usually exercised through government offices with authority, over political societies which are often termed states. Power does not exclusively refer to the threat or use of force (coercion) by one actor against another, but may also be exerted through diffuse means (such as institutions).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.