What makes a collection of people a 'class'? Does grouping people into classes help to explain anything?

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject Sociology - Social System, Social Structure, Class, Social Stratification, grade: 2.1 (B), Oxford University (New College), language: English, abstract: Class is a concept much used in both sociology as well as everyday language, but it is surrounded by much confusion about its meaning. There are many different definitions of class and many different views o...