Social Status In Contemporary Britain

One may say that class in Britain involves three broad elements. The first derives from the era of aristocratic ascendancy up to the close of the 18 th century: birth and breeding. The second derives from the period of capitalist ascendancy in the mid-19th century and is based on wealth and ownership in relation to production. The third derives from the educational revolution of the 20 th century and is based on skill and knowledge. The extraordinary continuity of British society which must be always remembered is perhaps best indicated by the fact that 'clas-sics' as an aspect of the aristocratic style has not yet fully given way in prestige to engineering and social science as an aspect of the democratic style.