What Is Social Class?

[Professor.]

Is it purely economic? Is it a matter of values? How big a factor is education? Is it the people with whom you associate?

 

Let's try and get this idea hashed out.

 

...From my point of view, education is a major factor in determining social class.

 

Though not perfect as a guage by any means, those I meet with PhDs tend to be higher in class than those who don't.

 

Yes, there are exceptions, but it works by and large.

 

Education seems to be a part.

[Xoogsade]

by Professor.:

Though not perfect as a guage by any means, those I meet with PhDs tend to be higher in class than those who don't. Yes, there are exceptions, but it works by and large.

Education seems to be a part.

This has been my experience as well. I don't know about the PhD level, but The engineers I work with have better understanding and respect than the rest of the workers who never attended any college. I like their confidence and ways of crisis handling, the less blame-game, and the high standard they hold themselves to. I admire the way they respect people Mostly. Ignorance is darkness.

 

Hope I haven't digressed from the topic.

[Sophist]

Something we lack in Somalia, an ill which some are trying to introduce to our plighted nation.

[Xoogsade]

I thought Somalis had the worst kind of social class ills ---> Tribalism. You can strive to get educated, You can work to get rich to some extent and make Money, but you can't change your tribe once you are condemned by your own society to the lowest ladder of the social class for who your father or your mother is tribewise.

[Professor.]

The ability of others to force one to remain in

the social class of their parents is relatively

small in this country (though still present

regarding getting into clubs, society pages and

other emotional absurdities of 'class

consciousness'). It is larger in Somalia but will

be shrinking there over times as well.

[NGONGE]

Professor,

 

Are you trying to define social class in relation to Somalia and Somalis or are you talking in general terms?

 

As I understand it, in general terms, social class can be broken into three main categories (working, middle and upper), the upper classes are the easiest to pinpoint, it relates to the aristocracy. The working class is mainly populated by unskilled workers and the middle class is, well, everything in between. This of course is a very simple description of the different classes, it does not take into account all the new different definitions and additions such as, lower middle class and upper middle class, etc.

 

The rise of social classes can be argued to have originated in the UK during the Victorian age. It was a direct result of the industrial revolution. Prior to that, there were only two social classes, the rich landowners (with old and well known family names) and the poor workers. The industrial revolution facilitated the emergence of a middle class, a class of entrepreneurs and businesspeople who made use of the expansion of the empire and grew and expanded politically and economically. Some made so much money they became richer than the aristocrats. They bought estates and land but could not be regarded as aristocrats because they did not have the family name to go with their wealth. Still, they got themselves a better sounding name (alas, not better received). They’re what Karl Marx referred to as the Bourgeoisie!

 

Nowadays, social class can be determined by education, values, heritage and income. Some people chose to ignore it while others would tell all and sundry about their pride in being “middleâ€, “upper†or “working†class!

 

I’m at work right now and I really don’t have enough time or material to explain more about modern social classes and the different ways they’re measured. I hope the quick (and probably faulty) history lesson was of some benefit to some of you. I would like to add that the only reason I wrote the above was because I wanted to show what my definition of social classes was so as I don’t have to explain it again in subsequent posts (i.e. you know what my starting point is now).

 

 

Going by my above definitions, I can’t really say that there is a vibrant middle class in Somalia. Some would even argue that there isn’t an aristocratic upper class either! Regardless of our education, income, values or heritage, it seems that we’re a working class nation.

[Khayr]

Salaamz,

From my observation, In Somalia or for somalis

Social class is determined by:

 

1) TRIBE/CLAN

2) Skin Tone (Light Skinned gets preference interms of marriage partners etc.)

3) Education (you can be a doctor and driving a cabbie, but as long as you are a doctor by education, you are admired by other somalis!)

4) Money

5) Religion (sure why not, include this too!)

 

 

As for the phenomenon of Social class, it has always been there. The most famous class system is the Hindu Caste system with their 4 castes, the Brahmans (usually the priests), Vaisia (blue collar workers),Kshatria (warrior class) and Sudra (the untouchables (correcting me if I;m wrong here but I'm guessing on this last part)

 

In anycase, their is also a social class in Islam too. We have discussed that in previous posts.

 

Anyhow, thats my 3 shilings.

 

Fi Amanillah