The Benefits Of The Middle Class

Contrary to the upper class, the middle class retains an opportunity for growth and therefore believes in the American Dream. However, their dreams shy away from the common view of the American Dream and instead revolve around their values and wants. Primarily, the middle class is defined as having an income between $46,960 and $140,900, although the economic boundaries that make up the middle class constantly varies (Luhby). Besides income, the middle class also can be identified by occupation, net worth, or education, but every middle class citizen, no matter how they are identified, experience similar circumstances (Elkins). The majority of the middle class yearn to have a nice home and secure job, along with extra money to enjoy their interests and hobbies. In addition, they strive to set aside savings for their children’s transition into the working world or future education. Although the middle class has more opportunities than lower class citizens, they still encounter their own struggles. For many middle class families, hard times come and go while they try to maintain a comfortable living situation. Money for them does not come as easily as it does for the upper class, who typically have enough to constantly feel stable. Nonetheless, the middle class obtains enough to live more

Despite the debates about social class, the United States is usually described as having four major social classes, the elite or upperclass, the middle class, the working class, and the lower class (Goldscmidt). Classes are generally differentiated by income, education, and occupation although other factors do have an effect. The upperclass consists of about 1% of the population making 750,000 dollars or more a year as investors, top executives, or heirs to large fortunes (Hughes and Jenkins). There tends to be no question about who is in the upperclass as they are pretty clearly isolated in their power and wealth. The middle class makes up about 40% of the population making anywhere from 40,000 to 749,999 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). The large disparity in income and wealth have led to a further division of this class into upper-middle class and middle class in some circles. The middle class usually work white collar jobs as professionals and managers, however some highly skilled blue collar workers are included. Those in the middle class have usually obtained higher education degrees and place a high value on individual responsibility for one’s class (Goldschmidt). The working class is composed of about 50% of the population earning 13,000 to 39,000 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). Some also divide this class into a working class and a

The media especially enjoys reducing the severity of the class disparity by pushing the idea that the majority falls within the middle class. Not only does entertainment follow a typical middle-class protagonists format but the news also allots middle class politics the most screen time. However, the middle class is actually shrinking indefinitely but this rising development continues to be ignored.

In Edward McClelland’s essay “RIP, the Middle Class: 1946-2013,” McClelland discusses to his audience that the middle class is slowly vanishing and soon enough we will only be left with the rich and the poor. Throughout the essay, McClelland uses various examples to demonstrate how the middle class will no longer exist. McClelland talks about how education is vital for pursuing a job at a reasonable pay that a person can live off of. Before, people were able to leave high school and go straight into a job with a pay that could support them. Nowadays, the same jobs that were supporting people before require a lot more education and still aren’t giving enough money that will allow them to live comfortably. Even though there are still jobs people can thrive at that will make more money without a serious education , the middle class is struggling to make it economically, because it is harder to find a job without education and financially it’s harder to make ends meet.

Nowadays, the middle class is shrinking, while majority of people are either moving into the lower or upper classes. This is due to the major economic and policy changes that have occurred throughout the past thirty years. Based on the Basic Economy Security Tables, one in four full-time working-age adults are not earning enough income to meet economic needs for themselves or their families. This is a serious problem in America today, the fact that the median income today is six hundred dollars less than it was in 1989 is proof of this epidemic. It is much harder now, than ever, to work your way into the middle class, much less stay there. The percentage income growth since 1967 for the top 5 percent of earners is 88%, top 20 percent of earners grew 70%, and middle-income households only grew 20%. (Camp) In simpler terms, the upper classes income has increased tremendously, while middle-income households have seen very little growth in their income. Since the middle class is not receiving any income growth, it is declining and moving towards the lower class. It is not nearly as easy as it was thirty years ago to get a decent job and make

Publisher, Richard V. Reeves, in his online article, "The Dangerous Separation of the American Upper Middle Class," shares how income, education, and political power has caused a split in the upper middle class. Reeves 's purpose is to convey the idea that the upper middle class has shifted from being a sociological curiosity to an economic and political problem. Reeves outlines how the upper middle class that was once considered an accessible hope or American dream, is now a blockade and an obstacle for others. He adopts a rational and analytical tone to appeal to the reader 's sense of reason. Reeves cites convincing facts and

The success of the up-and-coming middle-class made America the place many dreamed to be. It is this similar type of journey of America’s riches to rags history that one will come to recognize has occurred many times throughout the nation. In “RIP The Middle Class-1946-2013”

On top of it all the rich seem to get richer, spending their money on bigger houses, better cars, always trying to out do each other while the middle class continues to struggle. Paul Krugman describes this very well by saying,

the middle class. Ever since Trump became president, there has been a division of classes and

Today increasingly American are trying to get better jobs to have and give a better quality for them and their families. That is why poor people go to college or schools to get skills that qualify them to do so to improve their conditions of life. And then changing status socio-economic from poor to middle class. As indicated by the meanings of US social classes announced in 2014 the working-class wage run from 30,000 to 350,000 yearly being separated in lower, middle, and upper working class individually that relate to a 78.5 of the populace. Despite what many would state that the white-collar class is vanishing.It is somewhat unsure if yes or no and that could be wrangled as demonstrated by everybody: The American, working class, is winning because there are components that show the opposite is guessing(Harsanyi)such as more income, better quality of life and gaining economy.

Pew Research Center’s new analysis shows that the American middle class lost ground in the vast majority of metropolitan areas from 2000 to 2014, and the shares of adults in the lower- and upper-income ranks rose in most areas. There was more movement into the upper-income tier in about half the areas, while in the other half there was more movement downward (May 11, 2016)

Specifically, mechanical workers are taking over the jobs that the middle class traditionally performed(Adam Davidson). The job brake down in America traditionally went upper, middle and lower class jobs. Highly educated and talented individuals normally perform the upper class jobs. Since they perform skilled jobs that most cannot do, they are paid the most. Next come the middle class jobs,

And I believe where you are located can also makes a difference. In Edward McClelland’s article, “RIP, the Middle Class: 1946-2013”, McClelland argues that there has been a decline in the middle class since the 1980’s. He begins his article remembering times in the 1970’s, when the middle class was able to live similar to the upper class. He stated “I saw the evidence of prosperity distributed equally among the social classes: speedboats, Corvette Stingrays, waterbeds, snowmobiles, motorcycles, hunting rifles, RV’s, CB radios.

Debt in America now has grown to be at the highest it has been compared to the decades before. People now spend tremendous about of money now then they have many years prior. Many people today have borrowed money that they can not seem to pay back, which debt begins to accumulate and may cause distress in many lives. Basically now there is no one preserving their own money, they’re are just spending their hard earned money. Elizabeth Warren, formerly a U.S. senator and also a teacher, addresses the middle class in her essay called “the vanishing middle class”. There are abundant of good ideas that she states in her essay. Elizabeth Warren is very effective in her argument because of three concepts that stand out the most were having high incomes but at a price, savings and debt, how different we use our money now compared with how we have in the past.

Things such as education, occupation, income, or wealth are not the sole determinants that define what class we are. There is no true definition or defining factor that decides who or what middle class is. As Jackson states, “ There is a culture of the middle class, which is not reducible to annual income and other easily quantifiable variables”