Middle Class

Both recent political conventions had a lot to say about the "middle class."  As I listened to the speeches, I realized I don't know what the term means.

I tried to develop my thinking in the course of a recent facebook exchange with a friend who called attention to an editorial by David Brooks. The friend challenged her friends to comment:

The article:

Thurston Howell Romney

www.nytimes.com

Did you hear about Mitt Romney’s comments from a fund-raiser a few weeks ago? They seemed to suggest that Romney doesn’t understand America.

• Facebook  Comments:
  
  RT: He's not a liberal, but he's a fan of President Obama. Hard to square those two. ... I do agree with Governor Romney that there is a dependent class... they work hard, they want better lives for their kids, all that is true. But they are becoming dependent on government more and more. And with that dependence comes control. ... As to President Obama, I believe his understanding of America is much less realistic than his opponent's.

  September 18 at 10:08am ·
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  KK: Do you buy Romney's number of the middle class being those who make ~250K?

  September 18 at 10:32am ·
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  RT: I must confess I'm not an expert on Romney's statements about what constitutes the middle class. There isn't an official definiition after all... Cf Obama's promises about never raising taxes on people earning under $250k a year (a promise he broke in April 2009). I understand if you may not want to give Romney credit for any intelligence... but let's be realistic. He has been governor of a state... he campaigns every day to real Americans... his campaign team no doubt makes sure he knows the price of a gallon of milk.

  September 18 at 10:37am · 
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  RT: I find most people think "rich" is some number, say 10% more than they make.

  September 18 at 10:41am
• DC: For what it's worth - 2% of American households have income above $250,000. Is that the middle?
• September 18 at 10:54am ·
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  RT: What would you call the middle class Mr. Cox?

  September 18 at 11:18am · 
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  David Cox That's a really good question, and I don't have a succinct answer.  I'm not sure that income is a useful dividing line. It is possible to divide the population into income by quintiles (20% units). Any household with income above 250K is way up in the top 10% of the top quintile. Working class doesn't work because of the historic association of that term with blue collar, factory workers, tradesmen and craftsmen. What is lacking is a term that collects people with common economic interests in the present world, namely everyone who works for salary or wages. It seems clear to me that wealthy individuals look down on anyone who lives on a paycheck. How about "Polloi?"

  September 18 at 12:05pm 
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  RT: I dispute the premise that "wealthy individuals look down..." If you were saying something like that about blacks or women or whatever, we would be calling you a racist, sexist, etc. And if you cannot define "middle class" then surely you don't quarrel with someone else's definition, whatever it might be, right ;-) ?

  September 18 at 4:06pm · 
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  David Cox Why must I define "middle class?" It isn't a term I use, because I'm not sure it has any clear or useful meaning. I know what "quintile" and "quartile" mean and am comfortable using them to convey information about income. "Class" itself is a word that also fails to convey precise meaning. It once meant something reasonably useful, though not precise. "Upper class" conveyed a set of attitudes, education and speech as well as a certain degree of wealth. "Lower class" also conveyed something about the people thought to be included. In some circles, it was a synonym for "trailer trash." "Middle Class" was presumably somewhere in between, ordinary people as it were. In my experience that set of terms never fit southern society very well. Oh, yes, people also spoke of "Southern Aristocrats." There was a certain manner of speaking - at least among the women. A kind of soft Southern drawl with genteel accents. They had been to finishing school and knew how to prepare tea. To be in this category when I was growing up in Mississippi usually meant that sometime in the distant past, an ancestor had owned a plantation. Southern aristocrats didn't come from business. Faulkner captured the distinction perfectly in his stories of the Compsons (aristocrats increasingly down on their luck) and the despised but up and coming Snopeses. Oh, yes, there were also "yeoman farmers." Those were the ones who had never had slaves. Out of all that melange, I fail to see the usefulness of "middle class" as a category. If you find it useful, by all means use it.
  
  As for "looking down on" that may not have precisely conveyed my point. I read postings from right wing sources talking about the "lucky duckies" who pay no income taxes. I watched the Republican convention. The message I keep hearing is one of disdain for people who work for salary or wages, rather than living on earnings from stocks and bonds. I don't think that is true of all wealthy people. I don't think it is only wealthy people who think along those lines. But it seems to me there exists a rentier class (bad word - how about "category") that does not esteem mechanics, plumbers, schoolteachers, engineers, or other folks who make and do stuff in the service of others. What to call them? I'm open to suggestions.

  September 18 at 7:17pm