[heilyprollecyspor]

Many people will undoubtedly say the UK, but I personally disagree. We have one of the best social welfare provisions in Europe and we were pioneers in socialised heath care. University education is heavily subsidised and there are many programmes to get working class people into university education. We also have some of the most extensive equality laws in Europe.

I think that the view of the UK as being a very classist society is out-dated.

However, which country do you think is the most classist in Europe?

[chuecalovers]

Still Britain, even after all the social reform. Class will always be embedded in society.

[Ibrattnofich]

Well, very few have a distinct elite as in GB, what with the numerous Royal cronies and relatives there are.

[dianakroshXX]

Still Britain, even after all the social reform. Class will always be embedded in society.

Why do you think that? The most classism I see in the UK is that middle class people wouldn't want to associate with "chavs" and take the piss out of chavs, but usually they aren't taking the piss out of working class people themselves, but their behaviour. My experience is most middle class people are perfectly affable with working class people who behave in a decent manner.

Are you honestly suggesting that such attitudes aren't present in other European countries?

---------- Post added 2010-10-02 at 20:10 ----------

Well, very few have a distinct elite as in GB, what with the numerous Royal cronies and relatives there are.

The Spanish monarchy is similar to the British monarchy. I would say the Dutch and Swedish monarchies are smaller, but the Spanish monarchy is very comparable to the UK.

[riverakathy]

Why do you think that? The most classism I see in the UK is that middle class people wouldn't want to associate with "chavs" and take the piss out of chavs, but usually they aren't taking the piss out of people themselves, but their behaviour. My experience is most middle class people are perfectly affable with working class people who behave in a decent manner.

You just need to look at the political elite in the UK. Many leaders have and are still educated through the public school system, which then entitles them to instant access to Oxbridge. Class definitely rules.

[Nifoziyfar]

You just need to look at the political elite in the UK. Many leaders have and are still educated through the public school system, which then entitles them to instant access to Oxbridge. Class definitely rules.

I think the political elite in many European countries are privately educated and have attended the elite universities of their respective countries. This is not a phenomena that is unique to the UK.

A lot of the Spanish political elite went to university at the Complutense University of Madrid.

[ticfarentibia]

I think the political elite in many European countries are privately educated and have attended the elite universities of their respective countries. This is not a phenomena that is unique to the UK.

A lot of the Spanish elite went to university at the Complutense University of Madrid.

But other European countries don't have establishments such as Eton and Harrow. Oxbridge by nature is elitist.

[xyupi]

I think the political elite in many European countries are privately educated and have attended the elite universities of their respective countries. This is not a phenomena that is unique to the UK.

A lot of the Spanish political elite went to university at the Complutense University of Madrid.

No but it is harder to break into the old boys club in the UK than most other EUropean countries.

Obviously less developed countries like Romania or the Ukraine are discounted, but as far as the more developed EU nations are concerned, definitely the UK.


BTW, the reasoning behind this isn't due to some inherent nature of British people as classist, it's more due to the old having an empire idea. Think about the two-large empires, Britain and Spain, and then think about the remnant of elitism that still exists in these countries. Naturally, imperial countries (or former empires) will have more classism inbuilt due to the way the country runs


Plus, Britain never had a peasant revolution per se.

[XKAgustin]

The UK. I have heard of more english people intronducing themselves and refering to their social status in primary instance than other europeans ever. I don't know if more prevalent but they seem to care more about that. People in spain also gives a big importance to status, so does italy and france. The latter care more about class but avoid talking openly about that in such way british people do.

[avitalporatova]

The UK is by far the most classist country in Europe, and precisely because it was always one of the first nations to institute social reform, starting with the Magna Carta. Because it always had some slight measure of democratization and social protection, class conflict in the UK never really reached a boiling point like in France (1789) or Russia (1917) where the nobility and the upper classes, respectively, were physically wiped out. More generally speaking, the labour movement in the UK never became strong enough to truly transform society, while that was the case in most of continental Europe. Moderate reforms allowed the upper classes in the UK to retain some of their privileges, which is why it paradoxically has some of the sharpest class distinctions today.

[N9NACzws]

The UK. I have heard of more english people intronducing themselves and refering to their social status in primary instance than other europeans ever. I don't know if more prevalent but they seem to care more about that. People in spain also gives a big importance to status, so does italy and france. The latter care more about class but avoid talking openly about that in such way british people do.

What on earth are you talking about? I've never heard a British person introduce themselves and state their class, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[RussellPG]

What on earth are you talking about? I've never heard a British person introduce themselves and state their class, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I've never heard this either.

[Sarah Armstrong]

Oxbridge by nature is elitist.

About 55-60% of Oxbridge students are from state schools, it varies on year. I suspect the figure is similar at other highly ranked European universities.

[Mister.levitra]

Britain is the only country where people will automatically associate themselves with a class, ask your parents, they will tell you ''im working/middle class'' etc.... my parents whilst claim working class routes have risen somewhat and now consider themselves middle class (although some people with their professions would be considered upper class).

No other country has this - people dont like top be categorized and labelled as a rule, but in Britain we do this, there is not as much social mobility as many would like to think also . A study of working class surnames (such as Shearer - someone who sheared sheep) shows that these surnames has remained pretty much in their "class".Ill look for this to share...

Sorry to ramble - but Britain is definitely the most classist society.

[allaboutauto.us]

What on earth are you talking about? I've never heard a British person introduce themselves and state their class, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I know quite a few who mentioned being middle-class or working class citizens, i was somewhat like wtf. Some english people who refer themselves as Sloane Rangers or just "Sloanes" to differenciate from the rest.

[RogerButton33]

I know quite a few who mentioned being middle-class or working class citizens, i was somewhat like wtf. Some english people who refer themselves as Sloane Rangers or just "Sloanes" to differenciate from the rest.

Why do you insist on constantly talking misinformed shit? You're living on another fucking planet.

[rasiasertew]

Do noble titles still play any significant role in Britain?

[BrianGoldsmith]

No other country has this - people dont like top be categorized and labelled as a rule, but in Britain we do this, there is not as much social mobility as many would like to think also .

There is probably more opportunity for poor people to get out of their situation in the UK than there is in many other European countries. University education is heavily subsidised and there are an increasing amount of programmes aimed at getting working class people into university. The UK has at least an average level of social mobility.

On the whole higher education in the UK is LESS elitist than a lot of European countries. In the UK all the Polytechnics have been relabled universities, while in Europe they are still called polytechnics.

[Almolfuncomma]

Why do you think that? The most classism I see in the UK is that middle class people wouldn't want to associate with "chavs" and take the piss out of chavs, but usually they aren't taking the piss out of working class people themselves, but their behaviour. My experience is most middle class people are perfectly affable with working class people who behave in a decent manner.

Are you honestly suggesting that such attitudes aren't present in other European countries?

The Spanish monarchy is similar to the British monarchy. I would say the Dutch and Swedish monarchies are smaller, but the Spanish monarchy is very comparable to the UK.

In the UK you could notice to which social class a person belongs to only by earing his accent, you wrote about the "chavs", chavs have nothing to do with social classes the are only criminals, they belong to the working class.

You know too little about your country and you talk like a foreign,
Are you new to the Islands or just a troll?

[Yessaniloas]

In the UK you could notice to which social class a person belongs to only by earing his accent, you wrote about the "chavs", chavs have nothing to do with social classes the are only criminals, they belong to the working class.

Accent doesn't mean much these days. There are upwardly mobile people with all types of accents. The easiest way is to spot a class difference is to see the way the individual dresses.