In a middle-class society, presidential candidates often need to make substantial efforts to appeal to this class during elections. This structure implies that wealth alone, whether from new money or high-income professions, does not automatically command respect without additional merit. Individuals in such a society generally have greater opportunities for success and a higher probability of achieving it. Furthermore, the income distribution tends to be more balanced, with a large middle segment and relatively smaller extremes at both ends.
Middle-class societies exhibit a variety of characteristics. In the context of China, for instance, the pursuit of becoming a high-level middle-class society has been a long-term goal since the reform and opening-up era, possibly extending to the present day. This ambition reflects a broader aim of achieving national developmental success and realizing political ideals.
What are the defining features of a middle-class society? Among these characteristics, a fundamental one is the relatively small income disparity, with the middle-income group representing the largest segment of the population. To illustrate this, we can examine income disparities between blue-collar and white-collar workers in American society.
In the social consciousness of many developing countries outside of the U.S., as in those in China, white-collar jobs are often perceived as more prestigious and indicative of personal success and higher status compared to blue-collar jobs. If this were the case, income disparities within the middle class would likely increase, thus weakening the middle-class structure. Yet in reality, in the U.S., the income gap between blue-collar and white-collar jobs is relatively smaller, which significantly strengthens the middle class. Blue-collar workers, such as electricians and plumbers, are part of the working class. For example, in a Chinese community in Texas, a plumber might charge USD 280 in cash for a service call, while a licensed American plumber might charge USD 350, not including the cost of any replacement parts. These workers typically schedule their jobs in advance, with each job taking about 30-40 minutes, allowing them to handle 5-6 jobs per day. Different ethnic groups may have varying work hours. Using a Chinese-American plumber as an example, if they earn USD 1,400 a day in cash, including flexible tax payments, and work 22 days a month, their monthly income would be USD 30,000, and their annual income would be USD 370,000.
In terms of work patterns, many blue-collar jobs operate on an appointment basis, meaning work is conducted according to a strict schedule. Thus, the accumulation of clients is crucial. If a blue-collar worker has strong skills and a good reputation, their income potential can be higher. Particularly, having a good reputation means more clients and higher appointment volumes, which can significantly boost earnings, potentially exceeding USD 600,000 annually.
It is important to note that personal reputation is critical in blue-collar work. This includes both the quality of technical work and the attitude towards service. A poor reputation can hinder the accumulation of clients and significantly reduce income. In fact, reputation serves as the most effective competitive tool and also as a means of exclusion. Many blue-collar workers in the U.S. dedicate their entire careers to their trade, driven by the desire to maintain their personal reputation and income levels.
In the U.S., income levels for blue-collar jobs vary significantly from state to state, and differences among various types of blue-collar work can be substantial, sometimes reaching a 50% or even greater disparity. Therefore, the average income figures reported in labor statistics often underrepresent the true earning potential. Generally, blue-collar jobs that involve routine tasks, such as assembly line work in the automotive industry, tend to have lower incomes, with annual earnings of around USD 85,000. In contrast, blue-collar jobs that rely more on specialized skills, such as those for electricians and plumbers, typically offer higher income levels.
How do blue-collar incomes compare with white-collar incomes? For instance, a recent graduate from a prestigious institution like New York University working in film animation design on the East Coast might start with an annual salary of USD 80,000. While this is relatively high for a recent graduate, it is more common to see starting salaries around USD 70,000 or even lower. Over time, salaries tend to increase; for example, a software engineer at Google might start with an annual salary of USD 130,000 and see it rise to an average of USD 250,000. In some cases, highly skilled software engineers can earn over USD 400,000 annually.
A book describes the work environment of Wall Street, noting that a manager earning USD 250,000 a year might feel reluctant to mention their income, as it is considered relatively low. There are high-paying "gold-collar" jobs where earnings can reach over USD 100 million, but these do not fall within the middle class. Typical white-collar jobs in the U.S. usually offer annual salaries ranging from several hundred thousand to a million dollars, with salaries in the several hundred thousand range being the most common.
One of the most significant factors influencing personal income is network resources, closely tied to personal reputation. In recent years, the development of equity movements in the U.S. has also been related to network resources. White, heterosexual individuals from prestigious universities who are willing to work hard often have many opportunities. However, this has also resulted in certain forms of inequality.
All in all, the income levels of blue-collar and white-collar jobs in the U.S. are actually quite similar, with the former in certain fields even surpassing the latter in terms of earnings. This balance between blue-collar and white-collar work creates and sustains a large, dominant middle-class workforce. If the income gap between these job types were too great, the size of the middle class would be halved, leading to increased social tensions and disparities.
Zig Ziglar once said, " You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”. In a middle-class society, "greatness" often refers to technical advancements and impacts within one's work, especially in the finer details of the job. In this context, greatness might be seen in a code engineer's elegantly written code, an electrician's artful cable management, or a scientist's significant and challenging breakthroughs in their field. Such achievements reflect true greatness. In China, however, "greatness" traditionally has different connotations, often associated with wealth, academic success, or social status. such popular social concepts are not reflective of the consciousness of a middle-class society.
In the end, the greatness of a middle-class society lies within its people.
Final analysis conclusion:
Many people often forget that the U.S. is a middle-class society. There are many characteristics of a middle-class society, but the most fundamental one is that income disparities cannot be too large, and the group with middle-income levels constitutes the largest portion. The meaning of "greatness" in a middle-class society is different. For a long time after China’s reform and opening-up, and perhaps even today, the country has been striving to become a high-level middle-class society. This represents the success of national development and the realization of political ideals.
