The Upperclass - 4643 Words

The upper class is a concept in sociology that refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class often have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area. The phrase upper class has had a complex range of meanings and usages. In many traditional societies, membership of the upper class was hard or even impossible to acquire by any means other than being born into it. Overclass is a recent and pejorative term for the most powerful group in a social hierarchy. Users of the term generally imply excessive and unjust privilege and exploitation of the rest of society. Compare the older term, upper class, which nowadays is sometimes also pejorative, but is not†¦show more content†¦Ruling classes tend to be looked at in a negative light because they are often viewed as having little respect or care about the rights of the inferior classes. The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the social group constituted by higher-status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term lower middle class used for the group at the other end of the middle class scale and the regular middle class. There is considerable debate as to how the upper middle class might be defined. By most peoples standards the upper middle class are those who enjoy well above average lifestyles and most of the time don t have to worry about things like car payments and other bills commonly the stress of lower members of the middle class. According to Max Weber the upper middle class consists of well-educated professionals with graduate degrees and comfortable incomes. The American upper middle class is defined similarly using income, education and occupation as main indicators.[1] In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as mostly consisting of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees[1] but also a high degree of autonomy in their work, leading to higher job satisfaction.[2] The main occupational tasks of upper middle class individualsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Upperclass Education1582 Words   |  7 PagesLand Of The Free, Home Of The Upper Class nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.† (Lazarus) This incredible, sentimental homage to the American dream brings many to ask, what a wonderful concept- but is this truly the case? Is America truly a land of opportunity and dreams realized, or is it moreRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1231 Words   |  5 Pages Jane Austen s family was financially well off but when he died, they had trouble maintaining themselves. Jane Austen s life is reflected in Pride and Prejudice through her economic situation while growing up and her thoughts/opinions of the upperclass people in society. One of the central themes in Jane Austen s Pride and Prejudice is the role of class in early nineteenth-century England. Austen is interested in how social class shapes individual experience as well as the interactions amongRead More Age Of Jackson Essay962 Words   |  4 Pagesrights of the Federal Government. If not for several personal reasons, Jackson would have been a staunch advocator of states rights. The right to vote was still a major issue, the middle class feeling robbed of power in governmental decisions, the upperclass feeling threatened by the growth of the middleclass. However, Jackson brought with him many new ideas and principles. Since he himself had very modest roots, he sympathized with the middle and lower classes. He had worked for everything he had ofRead MoreSocial Class in the United States Essay1673 Words   |  7 Pagesto appear as though we have no classes, and it is becoming harder to tell what class someone is in by material goods, classes do still ex ist today (Scott and Leonhardt). The trend has been to divide the U.S. into four major classes: the elite or upperclass, the middle class, the working class, and the lower class (Goldschmidt). However, some divide the middle and working class further. Classes are separated depending upon one’s income, wealth, power, prestige, opportunity, culture, occupation, andRead MoreTotalitarian Government in Animal Farm Essay928 Words   |  4 Pagestotalitarian governments is stable. There will never be a fear of a major unexpected fall in the economy because it will always be handled by the government. In addition, most of the money in America belongs to 5% of its population, the rich or â€Å"upperclass†. The upperclass in America are very privileged, but the other 90% of America’s population are relying on food stamps and are homeless. Unlike a democracy, there is no discrimination about social classes because in a totalitarian government, money is distributedRead MoreThe Delay of Development in Guyana and Getting Rid of Class Association 862 Words   |  4 Pages Most jobs in Guyana are only available through nepotism and those that are rich and politically involved. So even though the lower class, working class and underclass get an education they are still stuck in that class due to the fact that the upperclass and upper middle class does not believe they are welcome in their society. So how does class association break away from influencing political parties and politics in Guyana. It would be nice to have someone rise from the lower class or workingRead MoreBeowulf As A Hero1716 Words   |  7 Pagesgets prove that he is indeed a hero in people’s heart. On the other hands, Gatsby’s life as a tragic failure. In order to fit in the upperclass society, he lies about his true identity and tells people that he is â€Å"the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West† (Fitzgerald 42) who graduated from Oxford. However, these lies do not help to become a true upperclass man because without a power and wealthy family’s support, Gatsby needs to worry about so much more things to sustain his appearance asRead MoreFashion During the Elizabethan Era Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesThis allowed an easy and immediate way to identify rank and privilege (Elizabethan Era | Clothing). Those found dressed in inappropriate clothing could be fined, l ose property, lose rank, and even be killed (Elizabethan Dress Codes). Those of the upperclass wore clothing made of more expensive materials, and those of the lower class wore the same general outfits, but theirs were made of less expensive materials. Fashion during the Elizabethan Era was disciplined by the Sumptuary Laws. Clothing affectedRead MoreChildrens Literature Becoming an Equalizer876 Words   |  4 Pagesa multicultural society, we are not yet a truly pluralistic society where persons of every ethnic background and race share equal access to opportunities for empowering their lives and have the right to pursue their own good.† (Bundy, 1992) The upperclass were wise to the importance of reading; which, is the basis for leaving England settling in America. Children’s literature started with teaching to read for the expressed purpose of understanding the word of a higher power and living accordinglyRead MoreThe French Revolution And The American Revolution1395 Words   |  6 Pagestheir work for them (History.com Staff French Revolution). Although someone could understand why the lower class wanted the French Revolution, you might be able to understand why the Aristocracy didn’t want any change. The upper class had been the upperclass for their whole entire life. Their nam es, and the fortunes that came with them, were passed down to them. They’ve lived their whole lives having everything handed to them and they were afraid. They were afraid of losing everything that they had