In the UK we use middle class to mean something much closer to its Marxist definition. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, managers, and small business owners would generally be considered middle class (basically if you can afford to shop at M&S or Waitrose). The term middle class in the UK also can encompass people who should be included in the term upper/ruling class, such as CEOs, but due to our weird historic class system in the UK I think there is a higher threshold for being considered upper class here.
The use of the term “middle class” as “not poor” is relatively recent, and likely as a result of the efforts to divide the working class.
The working class is anyone who relies on wages for their survival. Middle class has meant several things, including the new and powerful class that led the French Revolution (middle between the aristocracy and peasants). In Marxism it refers to small business owners who are still beholden to large business owners, professionals (like, professions: doctor, lawyer, engineer) or middle managers. They either profit from the wage earners or earn a salary to oversee them.
Some people do not agree with the inclusion of middle management or professionals because they still depend on their wages (salary) to survive.
The idea that a unionized auto worked would be called middle class is silly, according to these older definitions.
KryptonNerd@slrpnk.net 2 days ago
Arcanepotato@crazypeople.online 2 days ago
I kind of see it from the other direction, the US and canada can only exist if the serfs (I’m being hyperbolic no need to correct me) don’t believe they are serfs.
The historical middle class left the UK to set up a new aristocracy and need compliance, so the.american dream is built to make class a meritocracy.
dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Petite-bourgeoisie was a word before middle class
Arcanepotato@crazypeople.online 3 days ago
Oh, don’t they both come from the era of the French Revolution?
Agree that bourgeoise is older than that.