What does it mean to be middle class in 2024?
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- Опубликовано: 19 фев 2024
- Many Canadians call themselves middle class, a term frequently used by politicians to reach a broad audience. CBC’s Stephen Cook explores what it means to be middle class in 2024.
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The wealth gap is so large there is no middle class it’s poor, working class and rich
the working class are mostly the poor, as we can't afford to rent decent shelter. the middle class is that small minority of professionals who can afford to rent but can't afford to buy.
@@ihategooglesomuch middle class are the ones that can afford a home and have enough independence not to rely on services to get through, your mixing up working class with middle class
Pay close attention to the near revolutiona in Germany,France and many other countries within the 20! That gap is soon going to be levelled! The middle class are standing against the problem! Won't have commerce and the super wealthy will be living in holes soon!
Awesome, just like in India.
The wealth gap is so large and complex, that I both think I'm upper class and middle class. I have the lifestyle of a middle class person, but my income and asset range is closer to what I'd call upper class, particularly for my age group. None of my friends are doing as well as we are, and that's despite them making similar pay. We got lucky, and make good money, and our parents helped us save good amounts of money, so that our net worth is quite high but we still have the lifestyle of what I'd consider middle class. We don't eat out constantly, we go camping to save money, we buy used furniture. The only thing we splurge on is nicer clothes.
Middle class now basically means that you bought a house, or secured a long term low cost rental prior to the madness. Less to do with income. More to do with housing situation now.
Poor people think they're middle class because the quality of life has steadily been decreasing for a few generations now. Call us the working class, the ones that keep the country going and paying the bills.
This has been happening in every country and we criticize it in other countries and yet we do nothing.
@@darkbrightnorth people are easily distracted with fringe issues that either really anger some people or just drive the rest of them away. If everyone is busy arguing with each other over BS the status quo is safe and sound.
Owns a home, can have 2 chidren on average, has at least one car, can afford one two week vacation somewhere, has 3 months of savings in case of job loss. That is middle class to me. In Toronto that would be a family of 4 with an income of 200-225k a year to make it happen.
👍
Only 3 months of savings? I have a degree in computer science, and there’s no way you’ll get a job in 3 months. The bare minimum is 6-7 months.
@@Bettereveryday003 I mean that's the ideal, I'm talking about what is realistic these days. Like what it means in 2024. You have to either be rich or not have children to save that much. Or evade taxes haha
3 months of savings is not middle class
@@Bettereveryday003 "Only 3" you are all delusional, middle class folks do not have 3 months worth of income sitting in an account
The messed-up part is that here in Canada, we have space, we have resources, we have people, yet we're not building housing for regular people. All they're building are the shoe-box condos for millions of dollars. It's nuts.
Urban sprawl is frowned upon and no province wants to greenlight farmland turning into a town no one thought to found yet.
You're not wrong though.
What is being done now is clearly not working and more needs to be done faster everywhere.
"Shoebox condos" may be too expensive, but larger, "regular" homes cost even more, all else being equal (location especially). The main problem is a lack of housing of all types.
That’s what capitalist systems mean.
With population increasing at 3% rate a year, there will never be enough housing.
The three classes are Working Class, the Ownership Class, and the Ruling Class.
By using 'middle' class, politicians have convinced three groups of working class people to blame each other instead of the ownership class.
socialism polcy kills home ownership not capitalism
Middle class historically meant educated wealthy professionals that were a step below landed gentry and aristocracy. Anyone else was working class. If you worked for a living, you’re working class. Then, there’s the working poor, then those in poverty.
Trades people, business owners and a few others were considered middle class also
There's countless variants/shades of middle class - It ultimately depends on if/when you bought your property.
Disabled, CPP is $1117 a month. Rent... $1400. Car, gas, food, clothes... not even the start of it.
Our financial system values ownership over productivity. The more you own, the less you need to produce through your labour. You make more money and pay the less taxes for not having to work. The whole system rewards those who already have wealth and punishes those working to gain it. Until that is fixed we will continue this downward spiral and you will see the average canadian productivity continue to drop and wealth inequality will continue to grow.
First step would be to make stock buy backs illegal again (they were illegal until the 80s) so companies are encouraged to invest in their workforce like they used to, rather than just pumping up their valuations for personal gain. The second step is to increase capital gains tax in order to reduce income and sales tax.
Altho companies at least are productive. Canada's "businesses" and housing are just rent-seekers.
Great observation! Fully agree.
Agree with the diagnosis, disagree with the proposed fix. We need to raise productivity across the nation. Historically this was done by oil prices going up, so govt never had to do much. Remains to be seen if anything can be done otherwise.
This
that soclalsim fopr ya not capitalism more taxes tol make poltocal class richer
Too many people in the world . 3 billion in 1970 and 9 billion today fighting for its resources .
And yet everyone has more plastic sh!$ now!
I just realized I am not middle class
There are only two classes working class and capitalist class simple. Working class earn a wage, capitalist class earn off the assets or the labor of working class.
Lol
Yes, Karl… I presume you would fix it by imposing a dictatorship of proletariat and send dissenters off to Nunavut.
This is true. Either your money works for you (your capital earns money) or your labour does (your efforts earn money - working class). You can own a business, and pretend you're part of the capitalist class, but unless your money is the sole, or at least primary, source of your income, you're working class. "Middle class" has no meaning. If you make half a percent as much as the richest jerk, or twenty times as much as the poorest, you're probably in the bottom 99.99%, and doing a great job of providing for the folks who earn the most by doing the least. We are all far closer to the minimum-wage person with a broom in their hand than we are to the jackass with a rocket ship. That's the "fun" part of the illusion of the middle class; most of the return on the work the vast majority of people perform goes to the capitalists at the top, who essentially do nothing other than buy yachts they can't sail and cars they don't know how to drive, and the odd rocket ship, but we all seem to be okay with it, for some reason.
@@offgrid-bound Yes, the comment captures the core Marxist framework for understanding class relations in a capitalist society. I appreciate the humor and sarcasm. 😅 well played
@@offgrid-bound How would you fix it? Capitalism got us here.
The true middle class doesn't watch the CBC😅
100k has the same buying power as 50k in the 90's. So middle class is 200k.
taxes & regulations gone up soclalism policy making you pooer . 3000 franchsie closed in my country 20 months
middle class is now in the middle of nowhere
middle class is all about how you fund it. Nowadays, living middle class lifestyle (owning a home, a vacation every few years, supporting kids, able to save a little) and not have it be based on debt is what is being lost. Most people consider themselves middle class but are borrowing and maintaining precarious debt levels to maintain the lifestyle. I'd argue the terminology should be self funded middle class vs debt based middle class
home owners & business owners are middle class everyone has heaps of debt
A middle class income allows 1 person to provide for a family, including property ownership and lifestyle.
Today, most families are dual income households. This piece explained it when it said, most people are middle income, not middle class. Being middle income is not the same thing as middle class. Middle income in Nigeria for instance means you earn about $2,100/yr. But that does not mean you are middle class, you are still grossly poor.
As homeownership rates decline and most families require two workers to pay the bills, most families are working class in Canada. It is a sign of the times.
2100 a year? You mean 2100 a month? Or what?
@@RoboticDragon Nigeria, Africa, yes that is $2,100 per year. There are countries where people make less than that.
Two full time incomes have been the case for decades. That is, to afford a mortgage, and a few odd luxuries for kids.
homes hell alot cheaper in africa , a mansion under 1milion usd
@@john_doe_not_found
Is this similar to how people think they are 5/10 in terms of looks
Born into a middle class family. Ended up a renter neo serf wage slave. Pretty much the story of a generation. Too many people lying to themselves about their lot in life.
As long as we outsource manufacturing to China, middle class (whatever it means) will keep shrinking. We need to bring productive jobs back to Canada. Baristas and government bureaucrats don’t qualify.
People are either rising in wealth, or dropping down. Nothing is static.
Justin has made sure the middle class will disappear .
Not having kids these days would be considered middle class plus having 3 different jobs so you can live comfortably and afford the things you want in life.
It's easy to define middle class based on a comparison of income to a rough average of yearly living expenses. But politicians WANT to keep the definition vague to make their talking points sound better.
net worth 200k middle class
Middle Class: Post-secondary degree, stable job in a company, define pension, a house with a yard, two kids, a dog, education savings for the kids. Annual trip to somewhere. retirement at 60 with no debt and 1 million dollar saving.
being middle class means you're a high paid professional these days >_>
It's hard to get there in this age!!!!!
Entry level to middle class is house ownership. Middle Middle class add a kid or two and being able to pay their college. Higher middle class you can actually help your kid to pay their house down payment as well or retire at 70.
I feel poor after coming to Canada, back in my home country….i had big house, no mortgage or any loan payments……Did not had to look at prices when buying something small like groceries, had domestic help and even tea was served at bed, enough savings to maintain this lifestyle not for just my entire life but even next generation could do so because money spend was really low compared to what we were getting …..to me that was the true middle class
There is no middle class anymore. Its now the "Have Nots and homeless" and the "Have Yachts "
Wait till AI destroys many, many jobs. 😮
So you didn’t answer the question, whats middle class?
I make 100k and can’t buy a studio apt. Im def not middle class
its probably greater than 500K by now given inflation
What's with the annoying background music
I appreciate the Vox Media influence. Well done!
2:44 This is the best definition I've ever heard. This guy nailed it.
Pretty sure that under $100,000 annual income is working poor.
bingo it is when taxes go up you need to earn more to stay in middle class keep your home or business
There is no middle class. there's the rich owning capitalist class, and the working class. that's it.
How and what you spend money on defines your class. Think about that.
Woww the bias of the reporter is showing through his comments
People love to pigeon hole, put labels on people, so they don't have to think.
I consider myself middle class.... For now. That to me means I live comfortably and can afford many of the things I want on my current salary. But I also believe that the term is very fluid
Class?
What are you talking about in Canada?
Class is unconstitutional.
Section 15.
READ IT you neighbor of mine. Please.
9:33 the Simpsons with another flawless prediction
Stephen Cook's exploration into the meaning of 'middle class' in Canada today is timely and thought-provoking. The term 'middle class' has become a staple in political rhetoric, yet its definition is ever-evolving and often ambiguous. This inquiry is crucial, as understanding who falls into this category affects not just political strategies but also economic policies and societal expectations. It's fascinating to see how perceptions of the middle class change over time and across different cultures.
125 taxes in australia , soclaist in charge you need 300k a house hold
I think the term middle class has more to do with your educational level than with income. If you arent from the labour class or from the rich, you necessarily fall in the middle class category. Maybe breaking it down into subcategories makes more sense: struggling middle class, wealthy middle class etc
Now we should be discussing the parasitic bureaucratic class and the rentier class.
These terms are more appropriate for the post capitalistic techno feudalism we live in.
Growing up in the UK, I think middle class was more about education than money. If you spoke the 'Queens English', had good manners and etiquette, had a good education and didn't live on a council estate, you were middle class. Its a cultural thing, not to be bought.
It's not that hard to define the middle class. It's what your parents were when you were a kid.
We were homeless living in a camper trailer for years when I was growing up. We were poor. Now my family is firmly middle class. Never got a dime from my parents or my wife's.
Middle class was considered the ideal family. The house, the kids, the job security, the recreation and entertainment extras. The discrepancy today is that people have more than they need and collect too much waste.
Middle class in Canada is probably $100,000 household income.
double it and you would be close.
it your net worth after all taxes
in australia taxes high so it nearly $300000 a middle class household @@billhacks
This reminds me of Vox videos. Kinda nice
But what's the average now completely different now
Doesn't sound like a bad macro-econimic trend of people going to school for what they think will get them a decent job vs studying a "fun" subject...
Middle class is socialogical and cultural debate, based on yhe availability of different types of capital (social, cultural, economical, political etc) and how this affevts your ability to.move through the social strata
The way I view the middle class is that, Its subjective depending on the lifestyle you invision. If you can support yourself financially without making sacrifices like using savings or going into debt to pay for life and still save $100 or $200 at the end of the month then that affords you the title "Middle Class".
50% below the poverty line, living in Mom's basement by the grace of God and Jesus, the Government would have me dead rather than make life affordable for us.
Don't forget "those working hard to joint it"!!!
No middle class anymore, just the working class, who are eligible to pay all the freight, and not eligible for any of the benefits we pay for.
Didnt even really define it.
Short answer No
I am what they called, lower class, in the class system. 😂
Middle class to me means you have home ownership (or a mortgage), you have a stable job and are saving up for retirement.
My opinion of middle class. Is someone who can afford a to buy a home. Make payments and live comfortably. Not a fancy home. Literally any house. Owning it comfortably.
Also can afford to have a family.
I am not middle class..... I'm 31 I can't afford to live in an apartment comfortably with as bad as rent has gotten. Let alone own a house or have a family.....
This isn't what I wanted for my life.
Need more workers unions so that a minimum wage is still a livable wage (not barely scraping by even without dependents), along with price caps on the housing costs. To help curb the housing costs right now, we should be vetting our immigrants more strongly and add people that add to the economy and quality of life. There are quite a few problems in Canada at the moment and the current administration doesn't seem intent on trying to bridge the gap, but rather give more to the invester class and foreigners. We should be helping and supporting our own people first and foremost! I've met quite a few students who are on OSAP for their education and do not consider staying in Canada as a viable career option especially considering the student loan debt repayments. If you end up making more than double by moving abroad while the gvt insists on the loans being repaid, why wouldn't you? You end up with a vastly higher quality of life as opposed to staying and suffering. If Canada continues to have difficulties retaining talent, it will follow the Titanic
I guess I'm rich according to this analysis.
I just had a conversation with a coworker who defined middle class as people how make up to $1 million annually.
So the pill is easier to swallow 😂
The middle class derive their income primarily from business ownership and the labour of others.
If your income is primarily derived from wages or a salary, you are working class, not middle class.
"Middle class" is an indicator of wealth, not an indicator of income.
So look at your net worth, not your income.
Well, it takes a… living wage… to live. How many hours in a day should one work to make enough money to do two critical things. 1) Buy food & 2) have safe shelter. Is a Provincial Minimum hourly wage enough? Which province provides a minimum wage that enables their citizens to work & live in their urban areas? Provincial not Federal policies drive this bus.
i worked 80 hrs last week im in middle class i own assets
Can Canadians demand a definition of the “middle class”
Think of it as “working class with disposable income”.
Everybody in the comments with their own definition of the term. Conveniently these definitions happen to just reach their situation, so they can feel good about themselves. Truth is, probably none of these people are middle class unless they are boomers. Or inherited some wealth.
communism there no middle class what your point socialist
Decommodify housing
It's working class or ownership class, that's it.
middle class? once the taxes are paid ,everyone is poor.
"what does it mean to be middle class"
more like: "what does the end of American Economic Hegemony mean for people living in North America?" LOL
There are 3 things that could be done that would lower house prices and wage stagnation. Problem is the 3 solutions would be unthinkable for right and left wing parties to get behind.
Not my problem I bought my house and invested 30 years ago😅
government pushes up building cost lefty , a dump sold more than a millon less than a new home built on same size block
What is Middle Class? Middle Class are folks making middle income, but living poverty lifestyles.
The wealth divide is such that Upper Class still live wealthy lifestyles, but "middle lifestyle" doesn't really exist anymore.
there are 3 classes, rich, poor and broke.
if you can afford mcdonalds today, you're rich!
Middle class is a platitude for the economically struggling class.
The end of homeownership ?
-
What a fortunate circumstance, that is precisely what Team WEF wants to achieve.
i am not middle class
the purpose for pieces like this is to gas light and confuse people about socio-economic class structure so they hopefully don't clue in to how bad their situation really is.
Thank you!
Middle class? No, we are working class.
Yes, in China you are working class or royal class or whatever class superstition doesn't support and communism does support. That is true.
This is Canada.
You are my neighbor.
I don't know what class is.
china bordeline communism only 20% home ownership why my friends left @@Dam-a-fence
Been replaced by the tax-payer funded refugee class 😂 Also women getting rid of kids father's for child tax and other payments they dont gotta work for 😢
Just like the M form society which a Japanese prof Kenichi Ohmae said
No rich and poor
Personally I'd prefer if we used "working class" still. Imo, given the way our economy works, the biggest divide between individuals right now is between those who work and those who own. I'd like to see a bit more class consciousness amongst people in that respect rather than just looking at incomes. There is a big difference between a neurosurgeon who makes $300k/year and an investment banker who makes $300k/year.
Unfortunately, those that attended or graduated from university think they're above those that did not attend and have an issue with being labelled "working class" even though they need to work to make rent. Post-secondary education of today or even 30 years back, has given a false sense of superiority to those that aren't superior.
I have to close my eyes when I see Justin Trudeau, like a horror movie
Great to see the Trudeau liberals help out the middle class!
I blame government deficit spending. I want my interest-bearing central bank digital currency. BoC rate needs to rise another 200 basis points for good mesure.
Justin trudeau broke the middle class now we are poor after 8 years of the d I. C t ator
It's been eradicated over the last 15 years
Theres only first class and no class lol
The middle class never existed it has always been a ND always be the working class agaisnt the class who owns it all
Middle class should mean you can live comfortably. (Not luxury) but that you’re not living paycheck to paycheck and have some emergency money some savings and the ability to treat yourself to the occasional vacation and dinner out without it putting you at risk of not paying bills
i and My Father Marco and My Mother Hilda we are not the middle class in canada. Yes i and My Father Marco and My Mother Hilda we are Low Class in canada i repeat Yes i and My Father Marco and My Mother Hilda we are Low class in canada.
Trudeau stopped talking about the middle class.
The only way to give relief to the middle class is to make the lower class and the upper class pay their fair share of the taxes!