Social class is a division of society based on economic and social status. It groups people by income, wealth, education, and occupation. It shapes life chances: health, education, marriage, and even lifespan. Class is not just about money. It is about power, culture, and opportunity.

Karl Marx defined class by relationship to the means of production: bourgeoisie and proletariat. Max Weber added status and party. Modern sociologists use gradational models: upper class, upper-middle, middle, working, and lower class. The lines are fuzzy and debated.

Common class categories

• Upper class: inherited wealth, elite networks
• Upper-middle class: professionals, advanced degrees
• Middle class: white-collar workers, some savings
• Working class: manual and service labor
• Lower class: poverty, unstable work, reliance on aid

Class is passed down. Parents transmit wealth, education, and connections. But mobility happens. Some people rise. Others fall. In the U.S., class mobility is lower than many believe. Where you start often predicts where you end.