I was born in farm country (raising sheep, chickens and crops) and raised in lower middle class (father was a mechanic and then an uncertified accountant). Now that I am married, we are middle class citizens - upper middle class (my husband is professor in a university. I guess education made the big difference. What class do you fit in, and do you like being classified like this?
1. Poor - Homeless
2. Working Poor
3. Lower Middle Class
4. Middle Class
5. Upper Middle Class
6. Rich
I would have to be a 5 I guess though I too was country born and raised. Don't care much for classes. Never cared for them when I was in school and don't now. Good question.
All social constructions which need to be re-evaluated and seen for what they are - imbalances of power.
I would prefer not to think about it! I don't think you should be defined by the amount of income you have, and I feel rankled even seeing these classes listed out like that. Education is everything, although sadly often getting a good education is more difficult if you come from a low-income family to begin with. I take my hat off to those parents from low-income families who strive to get their kids a good education. I do think though that even though my circumstances have changed a lot since I was a kid, I still identify more with people who are in similar circumstances to the way I grew up, rather than those who are in the same situation as me now. Is that weird?
Classes are just an excuse to keep people in their place. There's no reason in the world (well maybe in certain countries still) that anyone can't rise above their current situation, if they really want to. Just learn as much as you can, and put the effort in and be persistent, and you can make your life whatever you want it to be. Your path is not pre-determined. Go for it!
I used to be a 5, am probably now a 4 and am heading for a 3 as I slide into graceful retirement.
man can I relate to this statement Pcunix
In the third where i live in classes are made on money and wealth. Considering my fathers income we are lower middle class. [total family income 500 dollar per month].But if its about status we are upper middle class as my father is an Assistant General Manager of a Government Bank, I am an University student, journalist and writer[in my language], my mother is a x officer of CARE and my sister is also an university income.
Personally, I hate the whole class thing. I grew up on a family farm, never lacking anything. Yet I was told continually, by my grandmother, that we were inferior to the business people of the town. I hated her inferior complex, and the superiority complex of my best friend's mother. They were not any better off than we were. They may have fallen into a higher income bracket, but doesn't that just mean more taxes?
Now to answer the question: I am a proud member of the working class. I have been a small business owner before and probably will again, in the future. I believe careful money management and a lack of wants makes for a happy life.
The class system is the worst thing ever, although times have moved on from the victorian era when it really was unfair, it still goes on.
To be honest with you I would fall in to 3 and am proud to be working class, my whole family were and still are.
I by myself would be in 2 and my mother would be in 3. However, as a writer for HubPages and continuing to increase my earnings...I'm moving up.
If the Queen of England were forced into a council house in the East Midlands of England (Sue Townsend 'The Queen and I') and had only a meagre old age pension to live on, she would still be upper class.
If a working class person in the UK makes so much money, they might be richer than the Queen (I don't think I mean J.K. Rowling), that person would not be Upper Class but Nouveau Riche. So, can class be measured by money?
In the US, it can; or so I gather.
Whichever way, I hate it.
Income wise, professionally wise and social status of family, I think I belong to middle class here in the US. This varies, when I was still in the Philippines I belong to the upper class because I was a professor, but here in the US, I am in the middle class, income here is very important. (here income is a big determinants of social class)
12-15 subjects...all I was interested in was art and english, the rest was a complete waste of my time!!!
School just held me back, college was much better, more focused!
....I was joking slightly by the way lol...as it wasn't really school classes that this thread was about.
Haha! I was wondering when someone would get around to the school issue. I hated school too, waynet. I learned way more outside of school, you know...learn by doing, it's way more enlightening and fun that way.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program...
According to your little chart, my family is primarily in 4, and 5 but I have been primarily in 1, 2.
Like politics I don't discuss classes. I choose to get to know someone based on who they are.
Diversity is the name of the game in the times we live in, the more diverse your interpersonal skills are the better you will do in life.
Interesting question, Peace
So if lack of money is low class, Then I belong to low class Lol! All I understand is we are all human beings and it really doesn't matter for me what class I belong to, the important thing is we learn how to respect each human being and treat everyone the same.
We can hate class as much as we like - it is just quantifying categories of society or how society is divided. You can find other categories with different values and call it what you like.
Without going to look it up so this is a rough idea - Class is to do with your place in the strata of society, Marx divided it into rich - poor - middle class first, then he looked at issues within those categories such as 'status' in society. As Camlo says, it is not just about the money - but this is a temporary state of affairs because - if the Queen of England did end up with no money in a council house in Blackburn her family would be working class within a couple of generations. This just proves that Marx was right about class being related to privelage. Class is only an issue for you if you aspire to it
Class is an issue if you are arrested for a crime you did not commit. Lower class, or lower middle class, you will be financially ruined in the attempt to prove your innocence. You won't get out on bail if you don't have any money. But if you can afford a good lawyer and can show that you have property and connections, you'll fare much better.
I feel class is just a state of mind and that it all relies on the mentality of that person. I feel I fall in the Rich category because I have a brilliant mind but based on my income right now I will have to say I fall in the number 2-3 category.
I am definitely a #6 in all that counts. Family, love, freedom, happiness. My beautiful wife, wonderful grandchildren and children, my loving siblings and mother keep me there pretty firmly.
In earnings my 6 month layoff left me as a monetary #2, but that is temporary and a minor matter when compared to the rest.
I think class 6 should have their taxes increased and 2 and 3's decreased.
Also class 6 should help out 1 and 2
I was intrigued that you classify ‘all’ working class as ‘poor’ in your list of classes!!!
In the UK you can be skilled or unskilled working class e.g. high or low paid working class; if you are skilled working class then you are certainly not poor.
Although there are similarities with your list, and what I recognise as the ‘class system’ as Wikipedia put it:-
“The class system in the United Kingdom is widely studied in academia but no definition of the word class is universally agreed to.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_cl … ed_Kingdom
The Informal classification and stereotypes for the UK is probably the more familiar form of classification that most people will recognise, and is as follows:-
1. Underclass e.g. long term unemployed
2. Lower Working Class e.g. unskilled workers, such as manual labourers.
3. Upper Working Class e.g. skilled workers, such tradesmen.
4. Lower Middle Class e.g. civil servants.
5. Middle Class e.g. accountants, bankers etc.
6. Upper Middle Class; people who have high incomes, live in big houses, who attended private school, and tend to speak the ‘Queens English’ etc.
7. Upper Class, the peerage and gentry etc. including the royal family.
My father’s side of the family were predominantly working class; my mother’s side of the family have been middle class for generations.
My parents were lower working class, so I was bought up in a working class environment.
My wife’s parents were upper working class.
Although I come from a working class background (and proud of it), I became lower middle class by occupation (civil servant); so we’ve enjoyed a comfortable life, and we are well off in our retirement (good pensions). However, almost all our close friends are predominantly lower working class or unemployed, and that’s largely because we find people in these classes have bigger hearts, and their friendship can run deep e.g. they’ll share what little they have with you just to be hospitable. While in contrast people in the Middle or Upper Middle Classes can be very snobbish and Scrooge like, with their friendship being very shallow.
Working class is considered poor as with lower class & lower middle class. Those classes are classified as the lower strata. Lower middle class is gentrified poor. Lower middle class individuals have similar mindsets & philosophies which are found in the general lower class.
The solidly middle class or middle middle class is what society consider to be the proper middle class. The solidly middle class is composed of white collared employees who possess some college, associate degrees to bachelor's degrees. They have a somewhat comfortable existence w/o much struggle. To reiterate, the solidly middle class are ensconed into a middle class lifestyle. The lower middle class are "middle class" nominally. They are more like the lower class than they are middle class.
Yeah, by some definitions what you say is correct. However, as I said above, and as stated in the Wikipedia article on the “Social Class in the UK”; “no definition of the word class is universally agreed to”.
That link was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_cl … ed_Kingdom
Also, as stated in the Wikipedia article on “Social Class”, “Class is a subject (that) has a wide range of sometimes conflicting meanings, and there is no broad consensus on a definition of class". That link is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class
Although the above Wikipedia article states that “Lower class (occasionally described as working class) as those employed in low-paying jobs with very little economic security; which supports what you say. The Wikipedia article on “Working Class” working class as the “Labouring class” e.g. manual-labour – link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_class
The above article also states that “As with many terms describing social class, working class is defined and used in many different ways.”; and in this article and the other articles on Wikipedia, the terms defined and used in the USA differ from the definitions and usage in Britain; which makes discussion on the subject across the pond difficult, as we are using a different language.
Nevertheless, from a British perspective, just because you are working class does NOT mean that you are necessarily on a low wage; there are many working class jobs in Britain that are highly paid; and thus many working class people in Britain who are far from poor.
You seem to be suggesting that everyone who is not upper middle class or above are poor?
I certainly know lots of working class people in Britain who are far from poor.
What is your definition of poor?
Poor is being in the lower socioeconomic strata of society. It is living from hand to mouth. It means limited opportunities. It means living at the basic, even primitive level. It means subsistence, surviving, not thriving. It means limited choices even for the necessities. It means 1/2 step away from homelessness. It means hell literally. It means substandard health care, food, clothing, housing, & education. Wouldn't want to be poor at all.
Are you sure you’re not confusing the definition of ‘poor’ with the definition of ‘poverty’?
By your definition of poor then there is hardly anyone in Britain who is ‘poor’!!!
Taking your detailed and lengthy definition of poor point by point:-
1. Yeah, being in the lower socioeconomic strata of society, then you are likely to be poor.
2. Only the very poor in Britain live from hand to mouth.
3. Yeah, being poor means that you are more likely to be living at the basic level, but not necessarily primitive level; although there are plenty of poor people in Britain who are quite well off in that they own their own car, have smart phones, and all mod cons including TV, Internet and white goods etc.
4. Being poor in Britain don’t necessarily mean living in subsistence, struggling to survive or not thriving. A lot of poor people in Britain do live quite comfortable lives.
5. Yeah, being poor in Britain does mean limited choices, even for necessities, but most poor people in Britain do have a reasonable level of living standard.
6. In Britain does not mean ½ step away from homelessness; as explained below.
7. Being poor in Britain do not mean hell for most poor people.
8. In Britain, being poor does not mean substandard health because of the NHS.
9. In Britain, yeah, being poor may, but not necessarily mean substandard food and clothing.
10. In Britain, being poor does not necessarily mean substandard housing; as explained below.
11. In Britain, being poor does not mean substandard education. In Britain, education if free for everyone until the age of 18; and the vast majority of kids, regardless to whether their parents are rich or poor all go to the same schools and have the same education, and are taught by the same teachers.
Housing
In Britain, local governments have a legal obligation to provide housing to the homeless (Council Houses). Council Houses are homes built and owned by local government.
For example, in Britain, if you live with your parents in a two bedroom house and you get married and have a baby; that is considered overcrowding, and as such you are given high priority to rent a council house (local government owned house). Council House rent is cheaper than social housing rent, and a lot cheaper than private rent. That’s how my brother got his Council House.
Under Law bought in by the Conservative Government in the 1980s a Council House tenant now has the legal right to buy their Council House, at market prices, with the total amount of all the rent they’ve paid for the council house over the year’s e.g. being able to buy the house with a generous discount, making it affordable (cheap mortgage); that’s what my brother did about 10 years after renting his council house from his local government – so now in retirement and on State Pension, he now owns his own home and living with quite a comfortable standard of living.
Rent
In Britain, anyone who is unemployed or on a low income, and thus unable to afford to buy or rent accommodation, are entitled to ‘Housing Benefit’ to pay for their rent e.g. regardless to whether they rent council house, Housing Association home (social housing) or private rent, their local government will pay the rent, subject to bedroom tax. Bedroom tax being that if your local government pays your rent they will tax you for any spare bedrooms you have e.g. to encourage single people and small families to downsize to a smaller home so that the larger homes can be rented by larger families.
Unemployment Benefit
If you are unemployed in Britain then you do get government aid to cover your living costs, including basic essentials; albeit you are on a tight budget, but you shouldn’t be living in abject poverty.
If you can prove to the government that you are actively seeking work then the benefits you get is slightly higher, making life a little easier.
Low Paid
Not all working class is low paid. And for further protection the British Government sets a ‘Legal Minimum Wage’, which is ‘indexed linked’ to inflation, that all employers have to pay. Plus, if you are in a low paid job then the government will pay you extra benefit so that you are better off than if you were not working.
Education
In Britain, education is free to all until the age of 18; and everyone gets the same educational opportunities regardless to social class.
Also, if you are unemployed or low paid, you are entitled to free further education e.g. to learn new work skills, or get qualifications, to assist with finding a job, or a career change etc.
Healthcare
NHS (National Health Service) is universal healthcare that’s “Free for All at the Point of Use”; and in Britain it doesn’t matter whether you are a millionaire unemployed, working or retired; everyone gets the same high standard of healthcare from the NHS regardless to their social status.
Disability
In the UK government disability benefit is not means tested; so if you are disabled, or partially disabled, you can claim disability benefit, called PIP (Personal Independence Payment) – the amount you get depends on your level of disability e.g. by how much your mobility is affected by your disability. And for those on the highest rate of disability are entitled to a free new car, renewed every three years (aka Motability Allowance).
And family and friends who care for people on disability allowance for at least 35 hours per week e.g. spouse are also entitled to government benefit, known as the ‘carers allowance’, paid by the government for looking after someone who is disabled or partially disabled.
Social Welfare
So when you add up all the benefits that not just the unemployed and low paid, but that everyone else gets as well e.g. Free Health, Free Education; then most people have a reasonable standard of living in Britain, and few people in Britain live in abject poverty.
Poor is an odd word. I am poorer than my neighbor, yet have a higher income than he does from my understanding. His mobile home is newer than mine and is three bedrooms vs. my '78 two bedroom. Yes, he has three children two in adult years living with him too. Yet, again, I have a higher income than him. I am poorer because of medical expenses draining it.
So, we might ask is Poor relative/relational more to "What"? I mean Jeff Bezos is 'Poor' relative to Elon Musk is he not? Almost 50 billion dollars separate the two; 171 billion for Bezos relative to 219 billion for Musk.
Poor means minimal survival level. Poor is baby steps away from being homeless. Poor means struggling daily, eating crappy, non-nutritious food etc.
No, TSMOG is right here - "poor" is a relative term. The poorest in the US is rich beyond the dreams of those in the heart of Africa or South America. They are rich compared to average Americans 150 years ago. They are incredibly wealthy to the peasants in China. They are, in fact, rich compared to the large majority of people living today - people that are NOT at minimum survival level, NOT baby steps from being homeless, etc. Yet they are considered "poor" here.
As someone who lives in a "Poor" area of South America, I wanted to point out how spot on your comments were. The people where I live are amazed when they see the poor Americans in a reality show like Cops, and even more amazed if the reality show is about the middle class. A car is a dream that a lot of families never attain.
Do the poor in your country feel rich? Not at all, and the poor here are rich relative to a country like Venezuela, Paraguay, or China but do not realize it.
You’d be surprise, there are poor people here in Britain who do realize how lucky there are compared to the third world; and it’s surprising how generous some can be in helping with charity or donating to charity to help those in poverty in the poor countries around the world. https://www.want2donate.org/charity-faq … in-poverty
I have a good friend with an income of about $200 a month ($600 a month for the household) and she dontates to a program that helps poor children, so I think you are correct in that it does happen. No matter where we are in life there always seems to be someone in a rougher situation that needs our help.
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