Squeezed Middle Watch

[Belushi]

There's been a flurry of articles recently bemoaning the fate of the middle classes as they realise they're about to get the same treatment the working classes have received over the past three decades.

I'm trying not to engage in too much schadenfreude; but here's a piece in the Telegraph today complaining that Eton fee's are now completely out of reach http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/10377807/Well-never-have-it-so-good-again.html

 

[treelover]

first world problems?

 

[seventh bullet]

Boo Hoo.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

 

[weltweit]

I don't know about middle, but I definitely feel squeezed atm.... the bills are going up and the salary which was less than I needed is not.

 

[Frances Lengel]

I'd have thought Eton has always been beyond the means of the middle. Squeezed or otherwise.

E2a - The middle being squeezed isn't something to crow about though - Apart from the very rich, everybody's standard of living is falling, so when middle class people can't afford mortgages poorer people will be ousted out of council/HA housing in favour of M/C types. Which is already happening to a degree.

 

[Belushi]

I agree Frances, which is why I'm holding my schadenfreude in check..

 

[Belushi]

I do want to scream 'We told you this would happen you fucking twats!' every time I read one of these articles though

 

[Fez909]

Can anyone remember the name of the long term security report that the government release every 10 years or so? It looks at the challenges they face in the near and distant future. I remember reading one about 5 years ago which said the middle classes will become a threat to the establishment due to their fall in living standards etc.

I'd like to go back and read it but I don't know what it was called.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Back when 'Kate' and 'Wills' started seeing each other, and there was the whole thing in the media about the Middletons being middle class and isn't it wonderful it shows how the monarchy are now just normal people etc, I realised that my understanding of the term middle class was a whole lot different to the BBC definition. Middletons middle class? Eton middle class? Fuck off. Just fuck off right now.

 

[seventh bullet]

I agree with Frances and Belushi, although being among the stamped on and squashed bottom ...

 

[revol68]

Back when 'Kate' and 'Wills' started seeing each other, and there was the whole thing in the media about the Middletons being middle class and isn't it wonderful it shows how the monarchy are now just normal people etc, I realised that my understanding of the term middle class was a whole lot different to the BBC definition. Middletons middle class? Eton middle class? Fuck off. Just fuck off right now.

It's amazing how wide the middle class is, seems to span from an office worker on 14k to Kate Middleton's family. You'd almost think it was trying to mask the existence of a working class much wider than played out stereotypes of white van man etc.

 

[stavros]

Some middles in the Labour party are more squeezed than others;

 

[Steel Icarus]

Some middles in the Labour party are more squeezed than others;

Topical.

 

[fogbat]

Topical.

Worth it for the photo. He looks like he's just pulled off the world's best mum cuss.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I suppose. Now you mention it is IS along the lines of

 

[seventh bullet]

It's amazing how wide the middle class is, seems to span from an office worker on 14k to Kate Middleton's family. You'd almost think it was trying to mask the existence of a working class much wider than played out stereotypes of white van man etc.

I thought 'white van man' was meant to represent the most vulgar of petit-bourgeois people?

 

[stavros]

Topical.

Is Mi-Lord Prezza not a member of the Labour party anymore then?

 

[revol68]

I thought 'white van man' was meant to represent the most vulgar of petit-bourgeois people?

I would agree it is actually more apt for the self employed builder, but in Britain and Ireland the idea of working class is tied more to archaic notions of manual versus mental labour and whole multitude of other other cultural signifiers than it is to peoples relationship to capitalism.

 

[Steel Icarus]

Is Mi-Lord Prezza not a member of the Labour party anymore then?

Mebbe, but nobody gives a fuck and he's got no clout. He's hardly a mover and shaker any more UNLESS HE RUNS LOL

 

[brogdale]

first world problems?

Rather too glib, I feel.

One description of the 'squeezed middle' (Resolution foundation) identifies the 40% of the population that earns less than the median wage but more than the bottom 10%. Workers in this cohort have suffered disproportionately from the globalised de-coupling of productivity increases and wage rises, whilst also seeing tory attacks on the in-work benefits 'sticking-plasters' put in place by NL.

I would agree with those who have already cautioned about being quick to scoff at the plight of this section of society. Remember the tory scum and their press are harnessing the 'pain' felt by the "squeezed middle" to convince many to go along with their programme to demonise the feckless, undeserving, work-shy, skiving shirkers etc. etc. etc.

 

[Cloo]

I'd have thought Eton has always been beyond the means of the middle. Squeezed or otherwise.

Yeah, but remember that the Telegraph and the cabinet seem to think that 'middle class' means six figure household income, two homes and kids in private schools. People like Cameron do seem to genuinely believe they are middle class.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Yeah, but remember that the Telegraph and the cabinet seem to think that 'middle class' means six figure household income, two homes and kids in private schools. People like Cameron do seem to genuinely believe they are middle class.

It just means 'doesn't have an actual title' for them doesn't it.

Except for Osborne who actually does (or stands to inherit one).

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Can anyone remember the name of the long term security report that the government release every 10 years or so? It looks at the challenges they face in the near and distant future. I remember reading one about 5 years ago which said the middle classes will become a threat to the establishment due to their fall in living standards etc.

I'd like to go back and read it but I don't know what it was called.

That vaguely rings a bell - perhaps published by ONS or the NAO?

I can't think of the title either, so you might be able to find it by trying different search parameters here.

They did recently publish a report called 'state of the nation' but that that was about social mobility and child poverty and was the first ever one, so probably not relevant. But interesting anyway - I've downloaded a copy to read at some point.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2013

 

[yield]

Can anyone remember the name of the long term security report that the government release every 10 years or so? It looks at the challenges they face in the near and distant future. I remember reading one about 5 years ago which said the middle classes will become a threat to the establishment due to their fall in living standards etc.

I'd like to go back and read it but I don't know what it was called.

Revolution, flashmobs, and brain chips. A grim vision of the future
The Guardian, Monday 9 April 2007

"The middle classes could become a revolutionary class, taking the role envisaged for the proletariat by Marx," says the report. The thesis is based on a growing gap between the middle classes and the super-rich on one hand and an urban under-class threatening social order: "The world's middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest".

Marxism could also be revived, it says, because of global inequality. An increased trend towards moral relativism and pragmatic values will encourage people to seek the "sanctuary provided by more rigid belief systems, including religious orthodoxy and doctrinaire political ideologies, such as popularism and Marxism".

 

[Fez909]

Revolution, flashmobs, and brain chips. A grim vision of the future
The Guardian, Monday 9 April 2007

Thanks! That looks like the right thing.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I've found a couple of other reports with state of the nation in their titles - but not sure if this is what you mean. One of them is from a think tank, so may be very partisan (I've not read it so don't know).

http://www.jrf.org.uk/media-centre/poor-health-and-no-wealth-Scotland

http://www.britishfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Hopes-and-Fears-updated.pdf

 

[Fez909]

I've found a couple of other reports with state of the nation in their titles - but not sure if this is what you mean. One of them is from a think tank, so may be very partisan (I've not read it so don't know).

http://www.jrf.org.uk/media-centre/poor-health-and-no-wealth-Scotland

http://www.britishfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Hopes-and-Fears-updated.pdf

It was the one referenced in the article yield linked to. Thanks for looking though!

Here's the full report if you want it: Global Strategic Trends (2007) or here's the one from 2010 (both PDFs)

 

[treelover]

Can anyone remember the name of the long term security report that the government release every 10 years or so? It looks at the challenges they face in the near and distant future. I remember reading one about 5 years ago which said the middle classes will become a threat to the establishment due to their fall in living standards etc.

I'd like to go back and read it but I don't know what it was called.

Wasn't it NATO or some thing like that, OECD?

er, must read whole thread.

 

[treelover]

what will be the long term political consequences?, turn to the far right, a Poujadist party, young oned moving to the left?