A social class is a sociological concept that refers to a collection of people who possess similar characteristics as regards to economic position which they share and who occupy the same social and economic hierarchy in the society. So many scholars in social sciences have defined a social class in multiple ways. This has created an endless debate as to what encompasses a clear and noncontradictory definition of a social class. Simply put, a social class is about people who associate themselves on economical pursuits through owning the means of production.
They are fully conscious so are other who does not belong to the same class. There is a persistent element of conscious identity. They have equal power, wealth and authority. Two notable scholars who attempted to define social class were Karl Marx and Max Weber. Marx argued that in any society there are two classes: one which rules and others who are ruled. He said that the ruling class is dominant, wealthy, and powerful who owns the means of production while the ruled class is poor, powerless and owns nothing but their labor.
He further observed that the political, as well as the social ideologies of the day, are those of the ruling class and that the relation between these classes is very negative. He categorized society into two major classes (the ruling and the ruled) and one minor class (the bourgeoisie). Weber on the other hand insisted on the role of social positioning and power acquired from politics as the major factors in distinguishing classes in a society. He categorized society into three classes: upper class which is occupied by the wealthy and powerful, middle class which is mostly composed of the employed workers and the lower class which caters for the unemployed and the poor.
The criteria used to conceptualize social class placement is wealth (money), power and authority or social prestige. Being wealthy either by inheriting or personal creation is a clear way to classify an individual to a higher class than being poor. Wealth is a clear separator that puts people into different categories. Wealthy people can afford good food, clothing, shelter and education, unlike the poor who merely survive on day-to-day basis. Power comes with wealth. They are positively related. Power of any kind, political and economic, stratifies the society into several groups. Finally, with wealth and power, comes authority.
Wealthy and powerful people assume so much authority than others. It comes with prestige; it positions an individual to get what he wants from whoever has it. People with the equal wealth, power and prestige occupy the same social class. Any real or perceived differences between people can be natural or stem from personal capabilities. In the contemporary world there is no limit as to which class someone fits because education has leveled the playing field. Upward social mobility has been significantly improved due to education.