How do you define "working class"?

[The Mystery Machine]

If you have to work you are "working class".

 

[manning]

Working Class to me is an employee who is involved in a job that requires manual labor.

Note: Although they may also be involved in the labor, I do not consider business owners who have employees working under them to be working class.

They only work 10-12 hour days.

Not only are you paying taxes on your earnings, you are paying the full social security tax on yourself and half of that on your employees.

Folks, owning and running a business is not fun and games. If you are successful you are hustling your butt off.

 

[Disney Doll]

I dont really know about how to 'classify'.. but if I had to...I'd say people who make over 250k arent' working class...again, thats MY opinion... Of course they are working...but since I'm no where near that bracket it just seems they are 'rich' or at least 'well-off' and probably dont' HAVE to work at the dollar amount or are able to have one spouse stay home on that income...

We have a friend who is a builder who has made that kind of money and he works very hard...every day as a matter of fact. He labors physically and runs his business as well. My guess is that he'd disagree with your definition of "working class".

The problem I have with picking a number to denote "rich" vs. "not rich" is that the number could be very different, depending upon where you live.

$250K isn't a boatload of money in Manhattan. It may be a boatload of money in Omaha Nebraska. In Mnahattan, that income probably gets you a middle to upper middle class life. My guess is that in Omaha, you'd be living like a king.

 

[melly]

If you have to go to work to support yourself then you are working class irrespective of what car you drive, what house you live in and where you holiday. End of.

Its sheer snobbery to try to create other classes to cast yourself above "ordinary workers".

 

[MAKmom]

Working Class to me is an employee who is involved in a job that requires manual labor.

Note: Although they may also be involved in the labor, I do not consider business owners who have employees working under them to be working class.

We own a counter top business & I always considered us working class until today when I read the definition below. But DH & I work as hard as anyone we employee.

But people making over $250K that own a business don't always see the $250,000... They pay a mortgage or rent for their business.. they pay their workers... plus other fees too. Also depends on where you live I think.

The Business may gross well over 250,000 but only a small percent has a net of 250,000 after you pay your expenses. I thought
only like of 1 to 5 % of Small Business owners even take home in pay more than 250,000.

I know it's wikipedia, but it's a model of the classes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Class_Thompson_Hickey_copy.png

As a child I always referred to my family as middle class until I actually looked into and realized we were a working class family.

 

[Lib E]

I guess I consider anyone who is required to work to keep themselves clothed and fed is part of the working class. You may be doing better than others in the class, but if you're not independently wealthy, you're the working class.

 

[Vijoge]

But people making over $250K that own a business don't always see the $250,000... They pay a mortgage or rent for their business.. they pay their workers... plus other fees too. Also depends on where you live I think.

In this scenario it's not really "people" (ie owner) who are making the $250,000-it's the business. The owner only makes whatever salary he draws or receives from the business.

If you are self-employed your income is only what you have after you subtract expenses (mortage/rent, workers wages, fees, etc.). KWIM?

If my business grosses $250K and I pay out, in expenses, $220K, then I make $30K not $250K.

 

[Vijoge]

I guess I consider anyone who is required to work to keep themselves clothed and fed is part of the working class. You may be doing better than others in the class, but if you're not independently wealthy, you're the working class.

Yeah, that's kind of my take on it, too. Sure, there are a lot of people who are filthy rich and still work (and work very hard) but they don't have to work to live. Working class people don't have a choice.

 

[castleview]

Might depend on where you live. In my area $250,000 is very comfortable. Most 2500 sq ft. houses around here are in the $400,000 range. Take a half hour drive where fixer uppers that size go for around $800,000 and $250,000 would be ok. Drive another 40 minutes into NYC - well you could probably struggle while living on $250,000 if you have kids.

 

[EthansMom]

I've always considered the terms "working class" and "blue collar" to be fairly interchangeable. I consider both to be people who are probably making lower incomes, tend to have fewer benefits, and tend to work in more physically-intensive jobs. As a general rule, I would say they are people who work hard to pay their own bills but probably don't have much "extra" money.

Some jobs I would consider "working class" or "blue collar" include: janitor, health-care aide, teacher, miner, line worker in a factory....

 

[kirbsam]

I disagree. If the owner isn't sitting back like a King watching his subjects work and wait on him and is running the business, he's working class.

every small business owner i know is working class. they all put in more hours and work harder than their employees, at least they did when they took the gamble to start their own business, and then they get to reap the rewards of it, until the tax increase comes. kind of sucks.

 

[kirbsam]

I've always considered the terms "working class" and "blue collar" to be fairly interchangeable. I consider both to be people who are probably making lower incomes, tend to have fewer benefits, and tend to work in more physically-intensive jobs. As a general rule, I would say they are people who work hard to pay their own bills but probably don't have much "extra" money.

Some jobs I would consider "working class" or "blue collar" include: janitor, health-care aide, teacher, miner, line worker in a factory....

only problem with that is some of those jobs have great benefits and the best job security.

 

[Vijoge]

only problem with that is some of those jobs have great benefits and the best job security.

Benefits and job security has nothing to do with "blue collar" or "working class" status, though. However, I have never thought of a teacher as being a 'blue collar" worker.

When I think of "blue collar" I truly see people in jobs or professions who do not wear white shirts/ties to work (or who used to before the workplace became as casual as it is today). And that doesn't really have anything to do with how much a person gets paid! Some blue collar professions, IMO, are plumber, electrician, auto mechanic, construction worker, bus driver, mail delivery person, waiter/waitress, bartender, maintenance worker, house painter, factory worker, and many more. Now, we have four vehicles so I know how much our mechanic makes! And our plunber charges $100/hour. But I still feel the mechanic and plumber are both blue collar workers.

Teachers, on the other hand, I consider "white collar" even though their salaries are much less than that of a plumber or auto mechanic. Other white collar jobs would be bank teller, car salesman, nursing home administrator, pharmacist, doctor, librarian, real estate agent/broker, jeweler, and others. I'm not saying this is correct-just that it's how I look at it.

 

[Planogirl]

To me the term "working class" doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how hard someone works. In my view, it has more to do with salary and includes those who make around the national average. It includes most blue collar workers (though not specialists) but also customer service and other office workers too.

Just my idea of working class, YMMV.

 

[Quiksilvr]

I work for a living. In fact, I'm actually posting from my office on a Saturday at 5:30 pm. I've been here for five hours or so and am hitting the wall (thus, my DIS browsing). As someone with family income hitting just above $250K, I'm very interested in this discussion. I admit that it would be better for me if working class was defined as "people who work", because I know that I work a lot. However, I think that "working class" (as the term is used politically and socioeconomically) is intended to mean low-level blue collar and white collar workers. Admittedly, I am neither of these things.

 

[Planogirl]

However, I think that "working class" (as the term is used politically and socioeconomically) is intended to mean low-level blue collar and white collar workers. Admittedly, I am neither of these things.

Exactly. It's not meant as a commentary on how hard someone works. I think that it's meant to describe those who might have a little bit harder time getting by than other workers.

 

[golfgal]

There are 3 "classes" in the US, either you are non-working and on welfare, working class or in the idle rich class.

In the working class you have 2 levels-low, middle and high. Most people fall into the low to middle class by normal definition but since the government chooses to use income without qualifying it with cost of living many people fall into the "upper" range.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

With all the talk about "Joe the plumber" and the increased tax proposed (by Obama) on those that make over $250K, the term "working class" is put out there and some people believe that anyone making over $250K is not "working class".

So how do you define "working class"? What type of job is that? What type of job isn't "working class"? Is it possible for someone to make over $250K and still be considered "working class"?

Personally, I loath putting people in classes like this but it's out there so I figured why not talk about it.

Anyone who has to work for a living, regardless of the job they do, is working class.

 

[Tiffer]

Working Class to me is an employee who is involved in a job that requires manual labor.

Note: Although they may also be involved in the labor, I do not consider business owners who have employees working under them to be working class.

I have a doctorate degree, don't do any manual labor, still can't afford to buy a house.

I think I am working class, as is everyone who would be in big trouble if they got sick and missed a couple pay checks.