The term ‘civilisation’ is normally used when a society is being praised for glorious technical, social and cultural achievements. I want to turn that assessment on its head. I will use a sociological term for what are typically called ‘civilisations’. Class society. What are the common features of class societies throughout history? Class is not inevitable and is in fact an invention. Yet, since class society has been established, it has been difficult to dislodge. Understanding how the class machine works can help us to see why.
The term ‘civilisation’ is normally used when a society is being praised for glorious technical, social and cultural achievements. I want to turn that assessment on its head. I will use a sociological term for what are typically called ‘civilisations’. Class society. What are the common features of class societies throughout history? Class is not inevitable and is in fact an invention. Yet, since class society has been established, it has been difficult to dislodge. Understanding how the class machine works can help us to see why.