In American Society when someone says "Lower class".what are they referring to?

Question

Class?...to me Class is a good attribute , for example..."You have a lot of Class." However...Having a lot of money as opposed to someone who doesnt have a lot of money ..does not guarntee..you are a classy person...

Answer 1

You are correct that there is not necessarily a correlation between the amount of money a person possesses and “class.” Generally, however, the term “lower class” in American society refers to the lowest social classes in the social hierarchy, meaning people with the least money.

Historically it refers to the working class, i.e., the socioeconomic class consisting of people who perform manual labor for wages, especially low wages, including unskilled and semiskilled laborers and their families. In current terminology in the United States it usually refers to individuals who are poor.

Traditionally, one’s economic class has been associated with certain cultural, educational and social attributes and aspects.

Answer 2

In American Socail standing Class gets sectioned from 'income ' bracket.
Vagrant .= no income
Below average = poor
Low Class .= low income
Medium or Mid = inbetween
Upper Medium .= quite well financially . Still working though
Medium High .=smart financially , might or might not be a 'income', Family gives. or a set allowance.
High .= rich yet becareful
Higher .= Rich
High society . = Richest. Bill Gates. INvestors, Micro Soft. Some Stars. Some singers.
.
Is way more detailed in the Business department. This says a oponion.

Answer 3

I think you are right as far as attitude is concerned. What is supposed to be the behavior of "ladies and gentlemen" is sometimes not seen in the richer part of society and is sometimes seen in the poorer part. When people say upper and lower "class", they usually mean something like a "division" rather than a persons characteristics.

What is viewed as lower and upper class will vary according to the model you are looking at. What most people see as "lower class" is people with little money or education. In Sociology, you will also see levels of power and authority mentioned. Lower class has little power and authority, and upper class has more.

I think they could use different terminology myself, and I believe there might be people who do, I just can't find any sources for it.

Answer 4

We aren't supposed to have classes here, but of course we do. I'd say lower class is anyone who doesn't make as much money as I do. Believe me that leave a lot of room at the top.

As to true class though, it has nothing to do with money, all the Hiltons are trash, even if they know which fork to use.
Hillary has class, even if shes not warm and fuzzy.
Bill has class, even if hes a player.
Donald Trump doesn't. Even if he gilded ever piece of furniture in his tacky apartment.
Rosie doesn't, and I don't think she wants it either.
Barbara Bush does, as does Laura, as does Bush One.
Bush Two can't spell it.
Its very hard to find in Hollywood.
Long married couples have it, that's why they stay married.

Answer 5

Lower class refers to the income one or a family makes within the course of a year...ie...if a family of 4 makes less than 15k, then they are considered lower class...but I do understand what you mean about being a classy person, and yes many lower to middle class people are more "classy" than upper class.

Answer 6

class can also be another word for caste or level in society.

Generally there are 3 levels or classes. Lower, Middle and Upper. 80% of Americans are consider Middle Class, 1 or 2 % are Upper class and 18% are Lower Class. These are strictly money-based levels

Answer 7

lower class is the people who make little money. middle class is average, and upper class are those who are well off. Class is still used as a rating, just a little differently. We still use Classy to describe someone without refering to their money.

Answer 8

Yes, class is everything that you say it is. I like to think of it this way. The U.S. has a caste system, poor, middle class, (which is now all but extinct), and the rich. Class has nothing to do with it. Unless the word is short for 'classified'. As in groups, or arranging things into groups-classifying.

Answer 9

your right and wrong, personal class your right but as a nation of people there is a class structure, high class, bill gates oprah winfrey and other billionaires, lower high class, movie stars and millionaires, upper middle class, people who live in $800,000 homes and drive mercedes, middle class, $300,000 homes and have a mazda like me, lower middle class, renters who have a 1978 ford fairmont, low class, trailer park with a bus pass, welfare or section 8 recipients.

Answer 10

I never hear people say that, but I think those who would would mean a person's socio-economic class. Meaning the person was poor and probably came from a long line of poor people. Usually, it carries a negative connotation (like calling someone "trailer trash" or something).