There have always been marked distinctions of social class in Colombia, although twentieth-century economic development has increased social mobility to some extent. Colombians tended to be extremely status-conscious, and class membership was an important aspect of social life because it regulated the interaction of groups and individuals.

Classes distinguished by:

1. Occupation
2. Family
3. Lifestyle
4. Power
5. Education
6. Wealth
7. Social status
8. Race

• Were very influenced by the Arab culture.
• The arab culture was prominent because of trade and expensive agricultural products
• Egypt was thought to be the most popular destination in that era.
• We observe this in the story through names and arabic terms (ie: Naser)
• The spanish language is heavily influenced by the arabs. It has Arabic roots.

THE UPPER CLASS:

The Colombian upper class largely consists of a wealthy white elite, some of whom trace their lineage to the aristocracy of the colonial era. The wealth of this privileged group is based mainly on the ownership of land and property. They were very successful in maintaining exclusiveness. The upper class also includes some people who accumulated wealth more recently, through commercial and entrepreneurial activities. The middle class grew as a result of industrialization and economic diversification in the 20th century. Historically, the middle class was small and politically passive, made up largely of those who had fallen from the aristocracy through loss of wealth and property. The newly rich people were not accepted in society as they were thought to be uncultured and uncultivated. 

THE MIDDLE CLASS:

It had developed since the 1920s. As a class, the various middle groups distinguished themselves from other members of society by regular employment in occupations that generally did not qualify them for membership in the elite. The members of the upper middle class tended to share a concern for culture and outward appearance, exhibited by conspicuous consumption. The middle class grew as a result of industrialization and economic diversification in the 20th century. Historically, the middle class was small and politically passive, made up largely of those who had fallen from the aristocracy through loss of wealth and property. During the 20th century, however, the middle class grew to include people who rose from the lower class by bettering themselves economically, including small-business owners, merchants, professionals, bureaucrats and government workers, professors and teachers, and white-collar workers.

THE LOWER CLASS AND THE MASSES:

Them and the masses together constituted the largest sector of rural and urban society–about 75 percent. The line between the lower class and the masses was fine; it was based more on an increased awareness of the social, economic, and political systems among members of the lower class than on any other criterion. Those at the upper levels of the lower class–organized labor, small farmers, merchants, and some white-collar workers– were in a transitional stage and possessed some attributes of middle-class status. The greatest portion of the population consists of the politically powerless lower class. Its members are poorly educated and do not have adequate housing, health care, or sanitation. Those who have jobs are low-paid manual laborers. Few of the benefits of economic growth have reached the poor. Rural areas have an agricultural system in which the wealthy elite owns estates.