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Mind the Gap: Class in Britain Now [Illustrated] (Hardcover)

by Ferdinand Mount (Author) "At a society wedding a couple of years ago, a friend of mine wandering into the marquee for the reception was greeted by a cousin..." (more)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Short Books, London; illustrated edition edition (9 Sep 2004)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1904095941
ISBN-13: 978-1904095941
Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 14 x 3.3 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 320,148 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category:
#96 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Sociology > Family & Social Groups > Social Classes

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Product Description

Synopsis
A daring, provocative and unusually frank discussion of the Gap - the invisible, yet powerful, divide between classes - which, whether we like it or not, always has, and perhaps always will, plague our nation. To pretend that class distinctions are a thing of the past, is, as Ferdinand Mount argues, nothing more than an ostrich-like attempt at idealism. Through fine observation and extensive research, covering issues as diverse as the distribution of wealth, the significance of speech patterns and the politics of egalitarianism, the author pursues an oft-times illusive answer to the fundamental question: How can oppressive inequality in Britain be wiped out once and for all?

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First Sentence
At a society wedding a couple of years ago, a friend of mine wandering into the marquee for the reception was greeted by a cousin of his who took him aside and muttered conspiratorially into his ear, 'Mind the gap'. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant and original book about growing inequality., 29 Sep 2005

By	Martin Akiyama (Slough) - See all my reviews

Ferdinand Mount believes that there is a growing gap between the rich and the poor in Britain.

The reasons for this are: economic policies that favour the rich; a welfare state which has infantilised the lower classes; strict planning laws that make land and housing unaffordable for the poor; and the contemptuous and paternalistic attidude that the rich in Britain have always had towards the poor.

I would agree with the previous reviewer that the author does romanticise the lower classes. However, I would not agree that this is a right wing polemic. Despite the fact that Mr Mount was once an advisor to Mrs. Thatcher, he is not a conventional Tory. He proposes education and health voucher schemes, and that the tax and benefits system be reformed to encourage marriage. He also proposes that the minimum wage should be increased, that only the better-off should pay taxes, that businesses should be owned by their workers and that some land should be transferred from wealthy landowners to the poor.

It's an informative and thought-provoking book. Not only did I read it in one sitting, but I found myself wanting to read more of many of the books Mr Mount quotes from. I would recommend it to anyone interested in politics.

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18 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Right wing analysis of working class culture, 23 Jan 2005

By	Bobby Elliott (Erskine, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ferdinand Mount has written an interesting and challenging book about working class culture. He argues persuasivly that class still counts and that "uppers" and "downers" still exist.

As his argument unfolded, it slowly dawned on me that I was reading a right-wing polemic on contemporary politics. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised given his background (he currently writes for The Times and has previously worked for a Conservative government).

I had a problem with his misty-eyed view of working class culture. He attacks left- and right-wing thinkers for patronising the working class but turns a blind-eye to the worst aspects of this culture. The book is also contradictory in parts. For example, he attacks Marx's view that there is no middle class (they will join one or other of the working or upper classes when the time comes) but he himself only describes two classes (downers and uppers).

Still, it was an interesting read and one that I can recommend.

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