The Influence Of The Hereditary Class System In The UK

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The hereditary class system continues to heavily impact British politics. This differs from the United States in that while families do hold multigenerational political influence, wealth plays a greater factor in this. Parliament, the cornerstone of the British political system is divided based on the hereditary class system. The House of Lords consists of those belonging to the hereditary upper class, with members appointed from within the peerage system, while the House of Commons are elected individuals who represent specific constituencies. The opening of Parliament of parliament is presided over by the Queen, who is not permitted to enter the House of Commons. Tony Blairs “New Labour Party” attempted to shift away from the hereditary system and push for programs that benefitted the lower and middle classes. …show more content…

All Conservative Prime Ministers after the Second World War came from the aristocracy,” and “…there are still some ceremonial roles played by leading families…” In Politics U.K., it is stated that “critics of meritocracy have always argued that it neglects the social and economic barriers which some face when entering the labour market”, I believe this extends to politics as well. Of the seventy-five Prime Ministers, nineteen attended Eton, six to Westminster, and seven went to Harrow, with the majority attending Oxford or Cambridge for university. Eton, Westminster, and Harrow are all expensive, highly selective schools that students are often groomed to attend with even more rigorous schooling prior to attending. This highlights the backgrounds of many Prime Ministers and the ways in which wealth and heredity plays a role in gaining influence within British

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