Classism

According to the nonprofit resource center Class Action, classism can be defined as the systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on social class and the systematic oppression of subordinated groups (people without endowed or acquired economic power, social influence, and privilege) by the dominant groups (those who have access to control of the necessary resources by which other people make their living). It includes individual attitudes and behaviors, systems of policies and practices that benefit the upper classes at the expense of the lower classes, the rationale that supports these systems and this unequal valuing, and the culture that perpetuates them.

Before going on to develop this definition of classism, it is necessary to also define which classes are subordinate to which others. Many scholars, whether they are sociologists, economists, or psychologists, begin their attempts to define class structure by acknowledging that there is no conclusive definition. The language used to describe groups of interest varies widely, including such terminology as poor, low income, disadvantaged, working class, blue collar, white collar, wealthy, and upper class; class indicators (the criteria used to differentiate class membership) include such considerations as income, attitudes and beliefs, educational level, job prestige, power in the workplace, and differences between manual and physical labor. Each of these formulations captures some, but not all, of the truth about the lived experience of social class, but the most useful definition for a discussion of classism as a form of oppression will be one that incorporates considerations of social power and powerlessness. Along these lines, authors Betsy Leondar-Wright and Michael Zweig have offered similar formulations that include the following elements:

• Poverty class: Predominantly working-class people who, because of unemployment, low-wage jobs, health problems, or other crises, are without enough income to support their basic needs.
• Working class: People who have little power or authority in the workplace, little control over the availability or content of jobs, and little say in the decisions that affect their access to health care, education, and housing. They tend to have lower levels of income, net worth, and formal education than more powerful classes.
• Middle class: Professionals, managers, small business owners, often college-educated and salaried. Middle-class people have more autonomy and control in the workplace than working-class people, and more economic security; however, they rely upon earnings from work to support themselves.
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• Owning class: People who own enough wealth that they do not need to work to support themselves; people who own and control the resources by which other people earn a living. The owning class includes people who, as a result of their economic power, also have significant social, cultural, and political power relative to other classes.