Class classification planned

It is being rumoured in official circles that there are plans to introduce a formal classification of the social group to which each individual is deemed to belong and today's leaking of a document appears to confirm that these plans are at an advanced stage. According to the document, there will be the usual three categories: effectively upper, middle, and lower classes – although apparently these will be called Advanced, Central and Foundation Strata. However, within these three groups, there will be a further five subdivisions (giving fifteen classes in all) are to be named Culminant, Proxime, Consolidated, Ordinary, and Basic. Thus the highest class would be Culminant Advanced and the lowest, Basic Foundation. These class determinations will, it appears, be fixed for life although there seems to have been some discussion about having an inter-generational review; leaving open the possibility of a significant piece of inheritance, either good or, perhaps, bad.

A source who was unwilling to be identified tried to play down the implications of the new plans, saying: "People should not be concerned about this. It is a purely administrative measure to enable the better collation of demographic statistics."