When you think of Italy, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Is it the rich and famous Italian celebrities like Sophia Loren, Silvio Berlusconi or Federico Fellini?
Or maybe it’s the romantic cityscapes of Venice or Rome.
What about pasta and pizza?
No matter what your answer is, one thing that isn’t likely to come to mind when thinking about Italy are social stratification.
But this doesn’t mean there aren’t class distinctions in Italy.
In fact, Italian society has a lot of different classes with distinct cultures and lifestyles!
So if you’re planning on visiting Italy anytime soon be sure to check out these 23 things you should know about social stratification in Italy.
The wealthiest of the classes in Italy are called “Nouveau riche”.
They have a lot of money but little to no social prestige.
There is also an upper middle class with great education, high paying jobs and disposable income who enjoy higher quality homes that represent their lifestyle well.
The Nouveaux Riche: Wealthy Italians without Social PrestigeOne thing you might not know about Italian society is that it has many different types of classes.
From peasants all the way up to nobility–with vastly different lifestyles and living conditions! One such group defines itself as “nouveau riche” .
Wealthy people who enjoy wealth for its own sake rather than any sort of status.
