Post by Kenneth New on Feb 25, 2012 22:48:22 GMT -5
Social Class
At nearly 450 million inhabitants, the United States has begun to show signs of overpopulation similar to Europe and Asia of 100 years earlier. Nearly 50,000,000 of these inhabitants are refugees from areas innundated by rising sea levels. Increased urbanization has swelled the size of the cities and left vast areas of the countryside underpopulated, dominated by areas of ecological devastation and fields worked by the large agrobusinesses.
The government is democratically elected, but phenomenally unrepresentative. Dating from the early 21st century, corporate money has had an increasingly dramatic influence over the political process. The two major political parties have become more beholden to their corporate masters over time. Many Americans don't even bother to vote.
American society is divided into distinct classes.
At the bottom sit the 10-15% of the population classified as Dependent Proletarians, those trapped in a cycle of helpless dependence on government handouts. Denied the right to vote so long as they receive government subsidies, they form a semipermanent underclass. Unemployed, and in many cases unemployable, they are a disgruntled group with too much time of their hands. This situation causes many of them to turn to crime. They live in DP (DeeP) zones, decaying neighborhoods that the rest of society tries its best to ignore.
Just above the DeePs are the working poor, the 25% of the population that have jobs that barely enable them to survive without assistance. They know that losing their jobs will result in them being reclassified as DeePs and losing what little they have. They scrimp, save and spend their earnings on lottery tickets in the vain hope that chance will enable them to escape poverty.
Above the Working Poor, but classified as part of the same group, are the 38% of the population belonging skilled and technical classes. These citizens make enough money to support themselves, but not enough to advance further on the social ladder.
Above the skilled and technical classes are the 20% of the population belonging to the professional and managerial classes. This group represents the real middle class of 22nd century society. Comprised of doctors, lawyers, university professors, scientists, engineers, corporate managers, police officers, fire fighters and most other well educated people.
Almost everyone else (just under 2% of the population) belong to the celebrity or capitalist classes. These are the wealthy who control most of the money and have most of the influence in society. In the words of famous essayist Gillian Becksworth, "This is their world. The rest of us are only allowed to live on the crumbs they leave behind for us."
Above all of these classes sit the Elites, the top 0.1% of the population that are multibillionaires or even trillionaires, those who own much of the money managed by the capitalist class. Some of the elites live in vast private estates, while others live in lagrange colonies.
There is very little social mobility. Occasionally, someone wins a lottery or invents something new and innovative that moves them from the lower classes into the capitalist or celebrity class. With the lack of opportunity, why don't the lower classes rise up and riot?
The DeePs often riot in the streets, but don't have the influence or wherewithall to effect real change. They don't even have a vote. Brutally suppressed by the police, this group serves a purpose for the powers that be. Fear of the DeePs keeps the working poor from seeking change. They fear the class below them more than they resent the classes above them.
The technical and working classes fear losing what little they have and slipping among the working poor. They fear losing what they have more than they resent those who have more.
The professional and managerial classes feel pretty successful since they're doing better than 75% of the population. They fear the greed of the classes below them more than they resent the capitalists and elites above them.
The capitalists run the world of the 22nd century. They control the corporations that control the world. Why would they rebel?
The elites have the kind of wealth that cannot help but to generate more wealth. Many of them aren't even involved in the managing of their own money. The capitalist class wants to be them and will do anything to be accepted among them.
At nearly 450 million inhabitants, the United States has begun to show signs of overpopulation similar to Europe and Asia of 100 years earlier. Nearly 50,000,000 of these inhabitants are refugees from areas innundated by rising sea levels. Increased urbanization has swelled the size of the cities and left vast areas of the countryside underpopulated, dominated by areas of ecological devastation and fields worked by the large agrobusinesses.
The government is democratically elected, but phenomenally unrepresentative. Dating from the early 21st century, corporate money has had an increasingly dramatic influence over the political process. The two major political parties have become more beholden to their corporate masters over time. Many Americans don't even bother to vote.
American society is divided into distinct classes.
At the bottom sit the 10-15% of the population classified as Dependent Proletarians, those trapped in a cycle of helpless dependence on government handouts. Denied the right to vote so long as they receive government subsidies, they form a semipermanent underclass. Unemployed, and in many cases unemployable, they are a disgruntled group with too much time of their hands. This situation causes many of them to turn to crime. They live in DP (DeeP) zones, decaying neighborhoods that the rest of society tries its best to ignore.
Just above the DeePs are the working poor, the 25% of the population that have jobs that barely enable them to survive without assistance. They know that losing their jobs will result in them being reclassified as DeePs and losing what little they have. They scrimp, save and spend their earnings on lottery tickets in the vain hope that chance will enable them to escape poverty.
Above the Working Poor, but classified as part of the same group, are the 38% of the population belonging skilled and technical classes. These citizens make enough money to support themselves, but not enough to advance further on the social ladder.
Above the skilled and technical classes are the 20% of the population belonging to the professional and managerial classes. This group represents the real middle class of 22nd century society. Comprised of doctors, lawyers, university professors, scientists, engineers, corporate managers, police officers, fire fighters and most other well educated people.
Almost everyone else (just under 2% of the population) belong to the celebrity or capitalist classes. These are the wealthy who control most of the money and have most of the influence in society. In the words of famous essayist Gillian Becksworth, "This is their world. The rest of us are only allowed to live on the crumbs they leave behind for us."
Above all of these classes sit the Elites, the top 0.1% of the population that are multibillionaires or even trillionaires, those who own much of the money managed by the capitalist class. Some of the elites live in vast private estates, while others live in lagrange colonies.
There is very little social mobility. Occasionally, someone wins a lottery or invents something new and innovative that moves them from the lower classes into the capitalist or celebrity class. With the lack of opportunity, why don't the lower classes rise up and riot?
The DeePs often riot in the streets, but don't have the influence or wherewithall to effect real change. They don't even have a vote. Brutally suppressed by the police, this group serves a purpose for the powers that be. Fear of the DeePs keeps the working poor from seeking change. They fear the class below them more than they resent the classes above them.
The technical and working classes fear losing what little they have and slipping among the working poor. They fear losing what they have more than they resent those who have more.
The professional and managerial classes feel pretty successful since they're doing better than 75% of the population. They fear the greed of the classes below them more than they resent the capitalists and elites above them.
The capitalists run the world of the 22nd century. They control the corporations that control the world. Why would they rebel?
The elites have the kind of wealth that cannot help but to generate more wealth. Many of them aren't even involved in the managing of their own money. The capitalist class wants to be them and will do anything to be accepted among them.