For centuries, wars have been fought to end classism and to transform legislation to allow mobility between certain statuses in a society. From the age old archetypal story of the "Prince and the Pauper," to the formation of the Middle Class in the U.S. immediately after World War II, class is something that has existed and divided citizens of almost every nation. This same phenomena continues today in more subtle forms in some places (such as the U.S. where the battle reflects within employment and income) and blatantly in other places, such as in India where the caste system is still prominent due to the heavy influence Hinduism has in the government and political system. When addressing the question of how one changes their class, several different successful methods come to mind that have been implemented down through the centuries and decades. Different groups in society have endeavored to affect change since long ago, using tactics that unrest or rebellion. According to "The History Place," website, The Great Potato Famine of 1845 in Ireland was one of the final straws in a class struggle that led to revolution of the Irish against the British Crown and, "as a result, violence erupted between British forces in Ireland and the Irish Republican Army (IRA)," [The14]. This is one example of many of where force is employed to change class. Other tactics such as peaceful activism have been used, some of the most renowned examples being the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's in the U.S. and the Chinese protests led by students in 1989 in Tiananmen Square. Another tactic that is more prevalent today is the use of media to raise public awareness about social injustices like classism, racism, and sexism that may operate at a subtle level in modern times. To be concise, the precedents that were successful in changing class were social unrest, social activism, and media relations; thus these are some of the ways that I would reference in order to change my own class.
