Defining the ‘Working-Class’

This concise yet pivotal chapter lays the foundation for the exploration of working-class alienation by defining the working-class within the framework developed by Savage (Social Class in the Twenty First Century. Penguin, 2015). Recognising the diversity within this class while maintaining essential historical and normative characteristics, the chapter outlines the normative elements of class definition and highlights historical class tendencies that serve as reference points throughout the book. The working-class is understood, at its simplest, as the economic group at the bottom of the hierarchy, engaged in manual, semi-manual, and non-cognitive roles, marked by low pay, insecurity, and limited entitlements.