English philosopher Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes, detail of an oil painting by John Michael Wright; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
social class
social differentiation
Also known as: class, class distinction
social class, a group of people within a society who possess the same socioeconomic status. Besides being important in social theory, the concept of class as a collection of individuals sharing similar economic circumstances has been widely used in censuses and in studies of social mobility. The term class first came into wide use in the early 19th century, replacing such terms as rank and order as descriptions of the major hierarchical groupings in society....
Discover the world with Britannica
Subscribe to Continue Reading
Free Trial
|
No Ads
|
Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
