Title: The rise and fall of class in Britain
First published: 1999
Description: Encompassing social, intellectual, and political history, Cannadine uncovers the meanings of class from Adam Smith to Karl Marx to Margaret Thatcher, showing the key moments in which thinking about class shifted, such as the aftermath of the French Revolution and the rise of the Labour Party in the early twentieth century.

He cogently argues that Marxist attempts to view history in terms of class struggle are often as oversimplified as conservative approaches that deny the central place of class in British life. In conclusion, Cannadine considers whether it is possible or desirable to create a "classless society," a pledge made by John Major that has continued to resonate even after the conservative defeat. Until we know what class really means - and has meant - to the British, we cannot seriously address these questions.
Subjects: Social mobility, Social classes, Great britain, social conditions, Social classes, great britain, Social mobility, great britain, Classes sociales, Mobilité sociale, Klassenbewustzijn, Sociala klasser, Social mobilitet
Places: Great Britain
LC classification: HN400.S6 C356 1999