In today's Britain, the working class has become the object of fear and derision. From the Vicky Pollard of Little Britain to the demonization of Jade Goody, the media and politicians dismiss as irresponsible, delinquent and ignorant a vast and disadvantaged sector of society whose members have been stereotyped in a single word full of hate: chavs. In this acclaimed study, Owen Jones analyzes how the working class has gone from being "the salt of the earth" to the "scum of the earth." Unveiling the ignorance and prejudice that are at the center of the Chav caricature, it portrays a much more complex reality: the chav stereotype, he says, is used by governments as a screen to avoid really committing to social and economic problems and justify the increase in inequality. Based on an exhaustive and original investigation, this book is an irrefutable criticism of the media and the ruling ...read more
