Underclass

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In 1984 Charles Murray published a book called Losing Ground, which popularized the term underclass.^[1] This was far from the first time the idea of a group of people below or outside the class structure was discussed. Karl Marx referred to a group he called the lumpenproletariat. He described this group as

This scum of the depraved elements of all classes ... decayed roués, vagabonds, discharged soldiers, discharged jailbirds, escaped galley slaves, swindlers, mountebanks, lazzaroni, pickpockets, tricksters, gamblers, brothel keepers, tinkers, beggars, the dangerous class, the social scum, that passively rotting mass thrown off by the lowest layers of the old society." ^[2]

Many other terms have been used to "describe a section of society which is seen to exist within and yet at the base of the working class."^[3]

[edit] See also

• Social class
• Social exclusion
• Social hierarchy
• Social inequality
• Social mobility
• Reserve army of labour
• Overclass
• Subculture

[edit] References

1. ^ Murray, C. 1984. Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-04231-7
2. ^ Marx and Engels, 1950, p. 267.
3. ^ Mann, 1992, p. 2.

Social stratification: Social class
Bourgeoisie	Upper class	Ruling class	Nobility	White-collar
Petite bourgeoisie	Upper middle class	Creative class	Gentry	Blue-collar
Proletariat	Middle class	Working class	Nouveau riche	Pink-collar
Lumpenproletariat	Lower middle class	Lower class	Old Money	Gold-collar
	Slave class	Underclass		Classlessness
Social class in the United States
Middle classes	Upper classes	Social structure	Income	Educational attainment