Social classes

Characteristics of the principal classes Despite controversies over the theory of class, there is general agreement among social scientists on the characteristics of the principal social classes in modern societies. Sociologists generally posit three classes : upper, working (or lower), and middle.

The Upper Class The American upper class is the highest socioeconomic bracket in the social hierarchy and is defined by its members’ great wealth and power.

Many sociologists suggest five:

It has assigned the quintiles from lowest to highest as lower class, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, and upper class. These definitions equate class with income, permitting people to move from class to class as their income changes.

The United States has roughly six social classes: