Which term is the awareness of one's rank in society?

• A. Alienation
• B. False Consciousness
• C. Class Consciousness
• D. Habitualization

Answer: (C)

Class consciousness is the awareness of one’s rank in society within a system of social classes and the realization that this position comes with shared interests and the potential for collective action. It means recognizing how economic and social arrangements affect one’s life and seeing those effects in common with others in the same class, which can motivate organizing and solidarity. This differs from alienation, which is a feeling of estrangement from one’s labor and its products; false consciousness, where people accept ideologies that mask their real interests; and habitualization, the process of routines becoming automatic in social life. For example, workers recognizing their common grievances and choosing to organize together embodies class consciousness.