Question

Which social class model is most pertinent to the 21st century, Erik Wright or Gilbert and Kahl's?

Answer 1

The four class model of Erik Wright includes capitalists who belong to the highest class, petty bourgeoisie who are small merchants, managers who work in various corporations and finally the workers in various companies. The six class model proposed by both Dennis Gilbert and Joseph Kahl is slightly different from Erik Wright's model. It includes the capital class that facilitates the production and lead a sophisticated life, the upper middle class who seems to be leading a comfortable life, the lower middle who do not suffer but manage things, the working class who struggle hard to make both the ends meet, the working poor who struggle hard to manage their daily life and finally the underclass who do not have any identity in the society.

Although both the models are expanded from the master theorists Karl Marx, Gilbert and Kahl's six social class model makes more sense in the 21^st century and we could identify people in all the six areas. The four model do not differentiate managers at different level because one's pay determines the facilities such as health, medical, education etc. one would have. Thus, even the working class has got different incomes which is clearly divided in the six model.