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By ‘upper-middle’ class we mean people like managing directors of large companies rather
than middle level management; chiefs of staff rather than high-ranking officers; top rather than
middle level government employees, etc.
The Middle-Class’
The ‘middle-class’ is a huge group. There is, however, a big difference between the ‘upper’
and ‘lower’ middle-class.
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Unit G322: Section A
TV Drama and Representation
The ‘upper-middle’ class is composed of professional, managerial and administrative
occupational groups and higher technicians. The very highest levels of the upper-middle
classes are very close to the upper classes but the majority of the upper-middle class do not
achieve any national power or prominence but locally many have significant influence or
status. They often participate in voluntary organisations, become magistrates or stand for
local government. Comparatively speaking, they are well off. Typically, they might earn one
and a half to two and a half times as much as the average national wage, and enjoy
substantially more than average fringe benefits. They earn much more than their lower
middle class counterparts. The average wage of a doctor, for example, is well over twice that
of a schoolteacher.
The gap between the working class and the middle-class has, in recent times, began to
disappear. The upper working classes have gone through a period of ‘embourgeoisement’ as
they become more like the middle-classes. With the decline of heavy industry, and the
introduction of legislation such as the minimum wage the working classes have, in some
cases, become relatively better paid to the extent that even working class people now expect
to have a certain standard of living, particularly in terms of the furnishing of their homes, as
well as regular foreign holidays.
The lower working classes refer to those workers with low prestige, low-paid, unskilled jobs,
such as cleaners, shop assistants etc. These jobs are often part time and are filled
mainly by teenagers, who are too young to receive the full minimum wage payments, and
women who tend not to be paid as much as men and are, therefore, cheaper to employ.
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Unit G322: Section A
TV Drama and Representation
Factory workers
Shop workers
Minimum wage jobs
Unemployed
Students
OAPs
Lower middle class jobs: teachers, police officers, office workers, nurses etc.
Upper middle class jobs: doctors, lawyers, company bosses, people who own the
business etc. Surgeons, really rich company owners, city workers, stock brokers etc.
Some upper-middle class people can be richer than upper class people.
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Unit G322: Section A
TV Drama and Representation