Middle Class vs Working Class
Middle class and working class are two groups of people who are in different levels of the social hierarchy due to their differing levels of education, values, lifestyles, jobs, and social grouping. The middle class is between the upper class and working class and the working class is just above underclass. There are a number of differences between the types of people that are included in these types of social groups. The article offers a clear explanation on each type of socio-economic classes and explains the differences between middle and working class.
Middle Class
Middle class is defined as a set of people who rank in the mid-section of a society’s hierarchy. This group of people usually falls in between the working class and the upper class in a socioeconomic sense. Individuals such as managers, professionals, academics, lawyers, engineers, doctors, white collar workers, and civil servants are classified as a society’s middle class. It must be noted that careers, which are considered to be middle class, require some tertiary education but do not usually require physical labor. There are a number of factors that contribute in deciding whether an individual belongs to the middle class. These include, tertiary education completion, Holders of professional qualifications, belief in home ownership and secure jobs, values and manners, lifestyle choices, and cultural identification.
Working Class
Working class is defined as those groups of people that are employed in jobs which are considered to be of a lower tier. People in working classes can be found generally in industrialized nations as these individuals are identified as those that create economic value and earn income by non-academic means. Working class workers are also usually those that have jobs that require physical labor. Working class occupations can be divided into 4 categories, outworkers, laborers, artisans, unskilled factory employees. According to Karl Marx (a Prussian-German socialist) working class is the group of people that offer their labor in exchange for wages and generally work for someone else as they do not own the factors of production.
What is the difference between Middle Class and Working Class?
Middle class and working class refer to two groups of people who are separated in the social hierarchy due to the nature of their jobs, education, values, lifestyles, etc. Working class and middle class are terms that are used frequently when discussing politics, economics and socio-economic conditions in a country. There are a number of differences between the two. Middle class refers to individuals who have had some form of tertiary education and professional qualifications. They are usually doctors, teachers, accountants, lawyers, engineers, academics, etc. Such jobs require some form of additional education (college and professional qualifications) and do not require physical labor. The working classes are those that are employed as laborers, workers, artisans, etc. While these jobs do not require any secondary education they require physical skills, strength and talent. The main difference between the two, however, does not lie in their income levels but rather in their social grouping, education, and occupations. For example in the USA, an occupation that is traditionally considered working class such as brick masons receive roughly $47,000 per year whereas a job that is considered middle class such as a teacher’s assistant, lab technician and optician earn between $23,000 and $33,000.
Summary:
Middle Class vs Working Class
• Middle class is defined as a set of people who rank in the mid-section of a society’s hierarchy.
• Working class is defined as those groups of people that are employed in jobs which are considered to be of a lower tier.
• Middle class refers to individuals who have had some form of tertiary education and professional qualifications and are in jobs that require some form of additional education (college and professional qualifications) and do not require physical labor.
• The working classes are those that are employed as laborers, workers, artisans, etc. While these jobs do not require any secondary education they require physical skills, strength, and talent.