Falling between the upper class and the lower class there are three other classes within the sociological model. These classes are labeled the upper-middle class, the lower-middle class, and the working class. Roughly 80 to 95 percent of the population can be ascribed these labels of societal stratification. A widely accepted definition of what it means to be middle class is if the household income falls between 75 and 125 percent of the nation’s median household income (Roughly 35k - 65k.)
As the gap between the upper and lower class continues to deepen, the middle classes are under intense pressure as well. The high concentration of vast wealth in the hands of a relative few, hearkens back to the feudalism of bygone eras, where wealth and power rested entirely with the land owning aristocracy. It was the emergence of the middle class in medieval Europe, in the form of merchants, craftsmen, and the priesthood that began to loosen the grip of the landed gentry. Our society has concentrated the wealth in the hands of relatively few, while at the same time weakening the middle class. The possible dangers range from minor to exceedingly dangerous. On the minor end would be a reduction of standards of living. If one cannot afford to own the newest, shiniest piece of technology, one may be disadvantaged in some respects, but can certainly continue living. Further down the scale would be lack of access to healthcare, housing, or economic security as well as other aspects of society that will have continue to exert disadvantageous pressures. At the far end of the scale would be revolution or civil war. If enough of the population living under what Marx referred to as “false consciousness” wake up and assert themselves, then massive social upheavals could result. Examples would include the French Revolution, the Servile Wars of Ancient Rome, and of course the Russian Revolution of 1917.
The middle class in my opinion serves as a safety valve of sorts for society. It gives people something to strive for, in our society this would be wealth and economic security. Without this possibility the poorest and disenfranchised have no goal to strive for, those who once held middle class status may become upset and agitated that said status was lost. In short, the middle class may be thought of as a sort of opiate for the masses. Without the hope of advancement, people would be much more likely to objectively look at their position in society and the inherent inequities of power and wealth distribution.
Schaefer, R.T. (2009) Sociology: A brief introduction (8th ed.) New York: McGraw Hill
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