The social structure of the United Kingdom has historically been highly influenced by the concept of social class, which continues to affect British society today. British society, like its European neighbours and … See more

Early modern
At the time of the formation of Great Britain in 1707, England and Scotland had similar class-based social … See more

Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation, also known as RP or BBC English, was a term introduced as way of defining … See more

Historically and still today, the traditional upper class is identified as the aristocracy, and social climbers tend to aspire for their descendants to be eventually absorbed by it. The aristocracy … See more

The United Kingdom never experienced the sudden dispossession of the estates of the nobility, which occurred in much of Europe after the French Revolution or in the early 20th century, … See more

Underclass
The term "underclass" is used to refer to those people who are "chronically unemployed", and in many instances have been for generations. The term was invented in the US in the late 20th Century. Evidence … See more

In 1941, George Orwell wrote that Britain was "the most class-ridden society under the sun."
In an interview in 1975 Helmut Schmidt, the then Chancellor of West Germany, stated that:
If one asks oneself … See more