Bob

The folks in between the 1% and those on minimum wage....well ok, that's a bit extreme, maybe the 10%

Basically anyone who potentially gets royally screwed by losing their job because they've got to much to be truely poor, but not enough to cover medical insurance.

caleyjag

In the UK, I am very much Scottish middle class, irrespective of how much money is in the bank.

In California it seems like I can be whatever I bloody well want.

One of many reasons why the West Coast is better than the East Coast, and indeed, the UK!

kimilseung

Maybe more so then some places, but, for most middle rung folks, it would still be difficult to mix socially with the poor or rich (other than casually in passing). I know my brother-in-law moved out of Seattle, bringing up a family in an affluent area was one of the reasons. He wanted his children to be surrounded by children with similar expectations of what they could do and have.

Plus of course, only someone from the middle class would ever really say that they can be whatever they want.

Anian

If you are on minimum wage or less, then you are poor. If you have money to spend on lots of luxuries (rather than just a few) then you are rich. Everyone else is middle class. Which turns out to be a huge number.

In the UK, working class takes up the poor and the bottom end of the US middle class. I would regard upper class as being aristocracy and such, you can't buy into it although maybe your children can become it. Someone who gets rich through work will only ever be upper middle class in my mind.

ukmedic

Agree well put

Bluegrass Lass

Since there is no such thing as aristocracy or gentry in the US, I disagree. Anyone that is making tons of money (CEO, etc), or have millions in the bank, are not 'middle' class any way you cut it. They are the upper class. Now, just because they are in the upper class, it doesn't mean they have any class...if you get my meaning. And anyone that has the luck and skill to make $$$ can move into the upper class.

md95065

The "middle class" in the US doesn't really exist except in speeches made by politicians in which case it usually means "the people that I want to vote for me" ...

HarryTheSpider

Hmmm. But often money isn't class. Here or in the UK. IMVHO.

robin1234

Again, I wouldn't completely disagree with this.. but there is a class or classes in the US that equate somewhat to the English gentry, aristocracy, and upper class. Old money, old intelligentsia, the descendants of the people Edith Wharton wrote about... generally comfortably off, but not necessarily so.

Cyan

^ ^ ^

This statement completely nails it for me - it's the missing piece in my incomplete understanding of why the term 'middle class' is used with such monotonous regularity at US election time. Thanks.

Cape Blue

I used to think that, then the Nob Hill Gazette started getting delivered to where I live http://www.nobhillgazette.com/

The people contained in those pages (http://www.thedigitaleditiononline.c...ation/?i=98466) look more upper class than those in the Horse and Hound and to my mind are the American aristocracy.

Xebedee

How I understand it:

There isn't a working class ethic here (anymore) and a Yank would never have pride in being called working class.
They basically aspire to be middle class because they see it as reflection of what America is all about; money gives freedom of choice and material things are the rewards of being an American.

lj2

Im working class in the UK and middle class in the USA. I think the middle class lower boundary is much lower in the USA. I also think that in the UK 'class' is as much about beliefs and mindset whereas in the US it's all about £££ well, $$$.

I also think that in the UK you can be proud to be working class whereas in the US it's usually derogatory.

scrubbedexpat099

Anian

I think you misunderstood me. In the US there is only poor, rich, and middle class; as opposed to the UK which is working class, middle class, and upper class.

Americans pride themselves on having created a "classless society" but what they really mean is that they renamed the classes and based it purely on money. I expect that in in the older parts of the USA there are people who think of themselves as aristocracy (inherited fortunes, ideas on what is proper) but I don't think anyone else sees them that way.

One thing I have noticed, anyone who uses the phrase "classy" is not classy and will never be.