Lower middle class
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In developed nations across the earth, the lower middle class, also known as the "working class", is, much like the upper middle class, a sub-division of the greater middle class which constitutes by far the largest socio-economic class. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, in the U.S. "[t]he lower middle class, constituting the bulk of the middle class, came primarily from upwardly mobile members of the lower class." This particular sub group is, as the quote infers, the largest sub-label applied to members of the middle class. This group encompasses the stereotypical "average Joe" blue collar occupations. While it is often stated that the lower middle class is simply a synonym for the working class, it has been widely accepted in most class models, such as the Weberian model, as a sub-group of the middle class in its own right, positioned in between the working class and the true middle class.
[edit] Lifestyle
Persons in this group have fewer financial resources at their disposal than members of the true middle and upper-middle class and often "live from paycheck to paycheck." Furthermore, due to their usually lower educational level and less specialized professional skills, members of the lower middle class tend to be far more vulnerable to changes in the economy than those in higher socio-economic classes. Combined, these attributes cause the lower middle class to enjoy very low financial security, upping their reliance on high-interest loans (increasingly in the form of credit card debt) during economic downturns when income decreases or unemployment occurs.
The lower middle class, on average, also places a lower degree of emphasis on post-secondary education than other, higher socio-economic classes. Lack of financial resources often causes higher education to be a too-expensive dream for children in the lower-middle class. This lack of financial resources may cause the children of lower-middle class parents to abandon the hope of attaining a post-secondary degree and entering the labor force as a professional. A parent's lack of a college education may also cause their children to believe that obtaining a college degree is unnecessary and that starting work earlier may be a better option.
Most reside in modest suburban homes, or small apartments in more expensive areas. Since many lower middle class households consist of families with several dependent children, overcrowding of living quarters in more expensive areas is common.
[edit] Social class in the US at a glance
[edit] See also
- Lower class
- Middle-middle class
- Middle class
- Upper middle class
- Upper class
- Household income in the United States
