John Scott 
Who Rules Britain? 

The lifestyle, economic basis and political affiliations of the British upper class are the focus of this exciting new textbook. Combining a review of existing sociological theory on class and capitalism with material drawn from a great variety of sources it is likely to become a standard course text.

Examining the question of whether there is still a ruling class in Britain, John Scott presents an account of the historical development of the British upper class, the development of industrial and financial dynasties, town and country society as well as of London and the political world. Photographs and other illustrations cover subjects as diverse as public school fees, the structure of parliament, and the dates and events of the ‘Season’.

Table of Content

List of illustrations VII

Acknowledgements IX

Introduction 1

1 What is a Capitalist Class? 7

The Orthodox Marxist View 8

The Fabian View 16

Burnham and the Managerial Revolution 19

Post-war Revisionism 20

The Capitalist Class Reconsidered 23

2 What is a Ruling Class? 25

Marx on the British Ruling Class 26

The Orthodox Marxist View 27

An Unorthodox Marxist View 29

The Power Bloc and the State 31

3 The Making of the Ruling Class 40

The Ancien Regime in Europe 41

The Old Society in England 44

The Transition to Modernity 57

4 Is there still a Capitalist Class? 63

Who are the Capitalists? 64

The Development of the Business Class 72

Contours of the Capitalist Class 80

Class Reproduction and Capital Reproduction 90

5 Is there still an Upper Circle? 93

The ‘Traditional’ Status System 93

‘Tradition’, Social Networks and Class Reproduction 106

6 Is there still a Ruling Class? 118

Power Elites and the Ruling Class 118

The Changing Anatomy of Political Rule 124

The Structure of Political Domination 139

Notes 153

Index 165

About the author

John Scott is author of many other works on the subject of wealth and the upper class in Britain, including Sociology of Elites. He previously taught at the University of Strathclyde.