Tea and Social Class

In Britain in the 1700's and after, tea was a kind of equalizer among the different social classes.  In the 1730's Britain started trading directly with China, and the price of tea went down because of it.  This meant that even those in the lower class could afford tea.  Some historians argue that few of the people in the lower class actually had tea, but tea became a commodity that some of the poor really enjoyed having, and were willing to budget for purchasing tea and sugar.  Since people of all classes drank tea, they could also offer it to anyone else without offending them or feeling out of place.  The ceremony involved with preparing and drinking tea forced the drinker to slow down and relax for awhile.  Both the rich and the poor enjoyed their time drinking tea with their family because everyone was together and tea was mild enough for children to have.  Today that important time of togetherness may be weekday dinners.  Our lives are so busy that we need a tradition, a set time to relax and enjoy the company of our family and friends.  The working class enjoyed tea breaks with friends because it was something to look forward to, a time to complain about work and mingle.  Tea breaks resemble today's coffee breaks in the corporate world.

As much as tea was an equalizer, it also magnified differences in class and rank.  The kind of porcelain ware you had determined how much money you had and what you were able to afford.  Some teas were more expensive than others, and extra ingredients like milk, sugar, and honey had their expense.  There were certain ways to pour and hold your cup of tea, down to the last detail of how you hold your finger out while taking a sip (Macfarlane 86).  Since having tea and its accessories would show status, many people started buying them to show off their status and give a certain impression.  This is just like how today people buy clothes, cars, and food that reflect how well off they are and what they value.