I think that this is interesting but what I think it lacks (which is a change from what it would have been even 30 years ago is a time dimension. I think that positions within these status levels (out of deference to Marx and classical Sociology I wouldn't call them "classes") and even the positions of the status levels themselves are to some extent in motion over time (and space) and very much more volatile then they were say in the 1960/70's (the last time I think we could say that there was a stable social structure.
The movement into and out of elite positions is now perhaps much more wealth dependent than before (less on social attributes) and thus ebbs and flows as the economy/stock market/various industries ebb and flow--the size may stay roughly the same but those in that level are probably coming and going with a fair amount of volatility when seen say over a decade and certainly significantly over two. Similarly with the established middle class which in Canada at least is rapidly changing ethnicities and is fairly highly dependent on State employment but in an environment where that is no longer as stable as it once was. Canada has much less of a traditional working class and whatever there was has been decimated in the last 30 years so is probably less than the 14% indicated. The new affluent working class is also probably less while the service working class again highly ethnically based in Canada is probably growing quite rapidly and at 20% is probably about right but could increase significantly even in the short term. What they miss though is the relatively large number of young to young middle age folks and newly unemployed folks of all ages who are in transition but to where isn't clear and when they will arrive isn't clear as well. The term "precariat" was actually coined to describe them and in most critical analyses of social structure particularly for Europe are seen as a separate grouping and also as a fissure in the various elements of the middle status levels (and of particular significance politically. The Lumpen and their proportion is similalry rather volatile and probably growing rapidly as the lunacies of current economic policies bite ever more deeply into European (and ultimately Canadian) social structures. M From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Keith Hudson Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 1:25 PM To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION Subject: [Futurework] The proposed 7 classes The following will be of interest to some FWers. It's of interest to me, of course, because the class system is an aggregated view of what goes on in every (particularly male) group or organization of any size. In all of these (and except for the very poor), the Western individual spends by far the bulk of his or her income on homes, goods, services, activities and entertainments which consolidate his existing status or are opportunities to aspire to higher levels. I'll abstract from the article (shown below) to show the seven classes into which the project team think the UK (more accurately, the English) are divided today. (Note the new term, standing for those who are both poor and precarious.) Elite -- 6% Established middle class -- 25% Technical middle class -- 6% New affluent working class -- 15% Traditional working class -- 14% Emergent service working class -- 19% Precariat -- 15% My own model has only two classes -- 20-class and 80-class -- because I'm mainly interested in those who take the important economic decisions (as well as much else!). And these, of course, are in the 20-class. This certainly include the Elite above, plus some of those in the Established Middle Class (top professionals in the law, medicine and accountacy who are necessary to the rich), plus some of those in the Technical MIddle Class(also vitally necessary). Both of the last two classes are vitally necessary for the continued power and wealth of the Elite I imagine that America is very similar to Britain. Keith http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R92013 0403 British class system alive and growing, survey finds LONDON | Wed Apr 3, 2013 11:39am EDT LONDON (Reuters) - British people can now aspire to and despise four new levels of social classes, according to a new survey conducted by researchers in partnership with public broadcaster the BBC. The Great British Class Survey found that the prevailing notions of a system comprised of the Upper Class, Middle Class and Working Class only related to a slice of the UK population, when analyzed according to income <http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R9201 30403> <http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-britain-class-idUSBRE9320R9201 30403> [], assets, social connections and social activities. An "Elite" class and a "Precariat" (precarious proletariat)were the two most extreme groups at either end of a new social scale of seven classes produced by researchers from the London School of Economics (LSE) and University of Manchester based on two surveys conducted by the BBC and research firm GfK. "It is striking that we have been able to discern a distinctive elite, whose sheer economic advantage sets it apart from other classes," LSE Professor Mike Savage said. []
<<attachment: image001.jpg>>
<<attachment: image002.jpg>>
_______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
