Middle Class
Definition
The middle class refers to individuals who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class within a societal hierarchy, typically characterized by moderate to high income levels, personal and professional jobs, home ownership, and higher education.
Analogy
Think of the middle class as the sandwich filling in a society sandwich. They're not the bread on top (the upper class) or the bottom slice (the working class), but they make up a significant part of what's in between.
Related terms
Socioeconomic Status: This refers to an individual's or family's economic and social position relative to others based on income, education, and occupation.
Suburbanization: The process of population movement from urban areas to suburbs. This is often associated with the growth of the middle class post-World War II.
Income Inequality: The unequal distribution of household or individual income across various participants in an economy. It is often presented as the percentage of income related to a percentage of population.
"Middle Class" appears in:
Study guides (4)
Practice Questions (9)
- Which piece of legislation in the 1800s significantly contributed to the growth of the middle class by enabling common people to purchase land at affordable prices?
- Whose inventions during the industrial revolution significantly boosted productivity and fostered the growth of middle class?
- Which social conflict contributed most directly to the development of the Middle Class in the United States during the 19th century?
- How did railroads contribute to development of the middle class in late-19th-century America?
- Which of the following was a significant effect of the growth of the middle class?
- During America’s industrialization period, how did rising incomes contribute to developing the middle class?
- What was a key factor that stimulated the development of the middle class in early 19th century America?
- Which invention had a significant impact on the growth of the middle class during the American Industrial Revolution?
- What federal policy, implemented after 1945, contributed significantly to suburbanization and growth of the middle class in America?
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