Classism

Classism refers to the prejudice against or in favor of people belonging to a particular class, which is a relative social rank in terms of income, wealth, education, status, and power. A class consists of a large group of people who share a similar economic position in society. Also known as class discrimination, it includes the attitudes, behaviors, systems of policies, and practices of an individual or society that are set up to benefit one social class at the expense of another. Classism can be explicit, or overt, involving direct prejudice against people perceived to be of a different social class. It can also be more covert, or indirect, if an individual or group does not recognize or notice differences between class groups. Classism is similar to racism, sexism, ageism, and other forms of oppression and prejudice, in that it involves making sweeping generalizations or stereotypes about people.

Background

The idea of social classes has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the dawn of written history. In any ancient society, social class was usually determined by nobility. Being of noble birth meant a person was either born into royalty or into another part of a class with either economic or social power. In ancient societies, for example, located in what is now known as India, Nepal, and Pakistan, nobility determined into which caste a person was born. The caste system, used by many ancient cultures, was a class structure that was determined by birth. In India, there were many factors that defined castes, particularly the trades and professions of those in the caste. Priests and other holy leaders were at the top of the caste system, while the servant class made up the bottom of the system.

Nobility also played a major role in European cultures and was also a matter of birth. However, birth was not the only factor in determining social class, as people had the potential to change their class through social mobility. If one were related to royalty, had power in government, or could make significant financial gifts to other nobles or the church, one could be considered nobility. Another way to move through the social scale was through marriage. Although these forms of social mobility worked for middle classes, it was rare for poorer classes to achieve higher degrees of social mobility, as classism and other forms of discrimination worked against them.

In the late eighteenth century, around the time the Industrial Revolution began, social class and social mobility took on a different meaning. One factor in this change was literacy, as an increasing number of people were learning how to read. With the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century, people had wider access to books; the ability to read and write soon became widespread, especially among the wealthier classes. As books and other reading materials become more readily available, education increased and schools for children were established. Although education of the general population began as early as the fourteenth century in Western civilizations, it was during the Industrial Revolution that it became more of a means to train people for professions and trades rather than for creating educated citizens. Training people to ultimately get a job allowed for greater social mobility and enabled people to work past the forms of prejudice that usually left them stuck in their social class.

Overview

In the twenty-first century, class is less defined by a person's family or nobility, but rather by a person's accumulated wealth. Although this makes social mobility easier for some, it is just as difficult for those born into marginalized or minority groups. Social marginalization, or social exclusion, refers to the social disadvantage of a group of people who are then relegated to the fringe of a society. Marginalized groups can include racial and religious minorities, in addition to others. Efforts, overt or otherwise, by individuals or groups of people to marginalize these citizens further can be seen as a form of classism.

Although the lines are often masked and blurred, class in America is generally defined by wealth or economic status. With the Great Recession that hit the US economy in the late 2000s, the class categories in America have become even more blurred. Generally, the classes are known as the poor, working, middle, and upper classes. Post-recession job growth focused on lower-paid fields. Those at the top of the economy became wealthier even as the working class grew and the middle class remained stagnant.

Classism can show itself in many ways in a society and may not always be as obvious as racism or sexism, for example. On an interpersonal level—when one person interacts with another—classism may be seen if a middle- or higher-class person acts superior or is considered smarter or more powerful than a working-class or poor person. On a wider level, classism can be evident in governments and other institutions that make policies benefitting one social class while hurting another, like new taxes or tax breaks, for example.

On a personal level, thoughts or assumptions made about individuals that others encounter in their daily lives could be considered forms of classism. In school, for example, if someone's project is less aesthetically pleasing, it does not mean they are less serious about their education. While some students' parents can afford to go to a store and buy the best art supplies for a project, other families may not even be able to afford to put dinner on the table. In similar ways, if people do not have the latest designer fashions or eat the best, organic foods, it does not mean they do not care how they look or about their health. Assumptions people make on a daily basis can constitute as covert, indirect forms of classism.

Bibliography

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