What is the origin of the word class?
The word class comes from the Latin term classis, which census takers used to categorize citizens by wealth. This ancient classification determined military service obligations for Roman citizens.
Questions about Social class
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did social hierarchy function in Ancient Egypt?
In Ancient Egypt, a social hierarchy existed where elite positions were characterized by literacy and white kilt garments. Farmers made up the bulk of the population yet agricultural produce was owned directly by the state or noble families under a corvée system.
What are Karl Marx's definitions of proletariat and bourgeoisie?
Karl Marx defined class by one's relationship to the means of production within capitalist society. He argued that the proletariat works without owning the means of production while the bourgeoisie invests and lives off surplus generated by the proletariat's operation of these means.
How does social class affect mental health outcomes?
Societies with large class differences show greater proportions of people suffering from mental health issues. In Stockholm suburbs, the difference between poor inhabitants near a station and affluent residents near Danderyd spans 18 years.
What did Paul Willis publish about working-class education in 1977?
Paul Willis published Learning to Labour in 1977 discussing how working-class kids get working-class jobs. His study examined antipathy toward knowledge acquisition among working-class boys in Britain.