Class analysis is back. Well, it never left, really. It just got overshadowed. But far more than race or sex, class dynamics are potent. And unhealthy class dynamics thrive in zero-sum power politics.
Enjoyed reading this analysis and description of the model. Question - would there not also be an “entrepreneurial class”, touching aspects of more than one of these four (five including the “Power Class”) classes, yet being neither fish nor foul?
Yes, absolutely. This occurred to me during the writing, but to keep it simple, I allowed my brain to wedge entrepreneurs into the Investor class, knowing all the while that 90+ percent of entrepreneurs run small businesses. The more I think about it, the more I think this might be a meaningful distinction, Christopher. Alas.
The cooperation vs. compulsion insights are helpful. I read it as similar to what I keep harping about: neighbor vs. citizen.
Another point is that in a truly cooperative/neighborly society, in which compulsion/citizen violence has been largely successfully undermined, there's no reason why everyone must remain in one of these four classes nor why everyone must only occupy one of those class descriptions at any one moment. Economic dynamism is a hallmark of high-freedom societies.
In what class would you place people who make a living on Substack or by writing books? (I am not one of them, alas.) In terms of how they get paid, they seem to have something in common with the wage class but in terms of what they do they look more like the salary class. (I am not including journalists who get paid a salary and who often support the power class.)
Neither am I (one who makes a living writing Substack/books), though I wish I were. Your hybridization uses the heuristic nicely, but there is probably some novelty to the gig economy and its medalists. It could be a category killer.
Enjoyed reading this analysis and description of the model. Question - would there not also be an “entrepreneurial class”, touching aspects of more than one of these four (five including the “Power Class”) classes, yet being neither fish nor foul?
Yes, absolutely. This occurred to me during the writing, but to keep it simple, I allowed my brain to wedge entrepreneurs into the Investor class, knowing all the while that 90+ percent of entrepreneurs run small businesses. The more I think about it, the more I think this might be a meaningful distinction, Christopher. Alas.
The cooperation vs. compulsion insights are helpful. I read it as similar to what I keep harping about: neighbor vs. citizen.
Another point is that in a truly cooperative/neighborly society, in which compulsion/citizen violence has been largely successfully undermined, there's no reason why everyone must remain in one of these four classes nor why everyone must only occupy one of those class descriptions at any one moment. Economic dynamism is a hallmark of high-freedom societies.
Hi Max,
I agree that the moratorium on class analysis has not been helpful. This one was an interesting read!
Chris.
In what class would you place people who make a living on Substack or by writing books? (I am not one of them, alas.) In terms of how they get paid, they seem to have something in common with the wage class but in terms of what they do they look more like the salary class. (I am not including journalists who get paid a salary and who often support the power class.)
Neither am I (one who makes a living writing Substack/books), though I wish I were. Your hybridization uses the heuristic nicely, but there is probably some novelty to the gig economy and its medalists. It could be a category killer.