In America, we have something that many other countries do not have and that is a middle class. Many other countries have two class distinction: rich or poor. Sadly, for other countries, their class system is a drastic difference that people and families can never overcome. Their poor are usually some of the poorest people in the world while their rich hideously wealthy. In America, we offer the unique opportunity for people to rise above their class no matter where they start. One of the reasons this happens is because of the middle class.

The lower class in American is usually considered to be the working class. People who work menial jobs like cleaners, dishwashers, laundry people, trash collectors are usually considered part of the lower class. The middle class really came about in the last century. People who have jobs like accountants, teachers, business owners, merchants would all be considered part of the middle class.

The middle class is really unique class because so many countries for many years did not have it. Think of England a couple centuries ago. People either owned the land or worked the land. It was not until war devastated the population and workers were not available, that workers had the right to demand payment for the service of their labor. Another thing that contributed to the middle class was the industrial boom. People who were not born of the aristocracy were able to make money investing in industrialization. They now have the money that the aristocracy had but did not have the titles. Thus, the middle class was born.

The upper class is a somewhat unique structure in America today. Business men, doctors, athletes, and actors all make up the upper class. These people are usually wealthy, remarkably wealthy. However, like in other countries where the people have to have been from noble blood to be considered upper class, our upper class can consist of anyone who makes a great deal of money.