What class are you?

[snaw]

Which countries are those snaw?

Holland, USA, Australia.

[DodgyAgent]

Holland, USA, Australia.

I have only been to Australia and I have to say that class is certainly defined by money (by those who have it anyway). If you live in any society there is a class system. It may vary in its effect but it still exists, and it always will.

[rootsnall]

Holland, USA, Australia.

Sydney and Melbourne have a small but snotty 'upper class' based around a number of exclusive private schools, pretty much like the UK.

[Bagpuss]

The great thing about the UK is that class cannot be "bought" with money.

That's not true, if you go back to the time of the great plague, yesterdays Baldrick became Squire of the manor in a very short time, due to population reduction/ demand for Labour/ wage inflation. These people soon wore the badges of their new class, which their money had bought them. Many of the British aristocracy have a Baldrick not so far back down the family tree, so it could be argued they have no class.

[snaw]

In my experience, having lived in the countries mentioned - the class system isn't based on what school you went to, or what your parents did or any of that nonsense - yes there is rich/poor snobbery but it's not based on background but on current achievments and how much wonga you now have.

[snaw]

Sydney and Melbourne have a small but snotty 'upper class' based around a number of exclusive private schools, pretty much like the UK.

I'm good mates with many of those people from the kind of backgrounds and schools you mention - some of them from pretty wealthy families by any stretch of the imagination, and snooty 'upper classes' isn't a term I'd use for them, and for sure is one they'd be deeply offended by - there is a fundemental working class streak running through most Aussies, no matter what kind of money their families come from.

[DodgyAgent]

In my experience, having lived in the countries mentioned - the class system isn't based on what school you went to, or what your parents did or any of that nonsense - yes there is rich/poor snobbery but it's not based on background but on current achievments and how much wonga you now have.

But is it a good thing that your class should be defined by how much money you have? It can be argued that the upside of the British class system is that your class can also be defined by your manners and behaviour.

[threaded]

Holland, USA, Australia.

Holland not have a class system? Oh deary deary me.

And Denmark is worse than UK: if you don't have a Director who went to 'that' school you can go whistle, and if you have two, you have to beat customers off with a stick...

[Bagpuss]

If it's manners and behaviour then some people on here are underclass

[wendigo100]

But is it a good thing that your class should be defined by how much money you have? It can be argued that the upside of the British class system is that your class can also be defined by your manners and behaviour.

Now we are getting somewhere.