While many other “-isms” are at the forefront of the fight for equality, classism is on the backburner. Classism is prejudice based on the social class of an individual or group of people. These different classes are generally based on economic factors such as wealth distribution, education, or occupation. Classism is usually addressed in conversations surrounding the benefits that the mega-rich receive over the rest of the population; however, these are extreme examples, and the conversation often stops there. This leaves many of the big picture systemic aspects of classism alive, well, and unaddressed.
Many people ignore how widespread the influence of classism is within our society. It can be directly linked to systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia through the methods used to keep it intact. These methods include anything that divides people in the middle and lower classes, turning them against each other rather than allowing their focus to turn on the people that benefit from this division.
An example would be politicians and CEOs convincing the American people that immigrants are stealing their jobs rather than admitting that the job was outsourced in order to reduce cost to the company. Oftentimes immigrants will work more hours for less pay, or it is cheaper to hire a person from another country than it is to hire an American citizen. These decisions to move towards cheaper labor have ultimately benefited American companies while crippling its people.
Another example from history involves suburban housing developments during the mid 1900s. New homes were built surrounding cities and sold for reasonable prices. These homes are now worth upwards of three or four hundred thousand dollars. The reason that classism and racism are deeply ingrained in this example is that African American families were prohibited from buying these homes. This caused a massive division in wealth amongst middle-class Black and white families that has continued to this day. The white families that were able to buy these homes at that time now have a large asset while Black families are left with nothing.
The fact of the matter is that the rich have the power in our country, and indeed the world, and will do anything they can to keep it that way. They are a minority in and of themselves with only nineteen percent of the population being upper class; this leaves eighty-one percent that are not reaping the benefits of being at the top of the food chain. This is why divisive tactics are used by CEOs and politicians in the first place.
If the American people realized that the numbers were on their side and stopped fighting amongst themselves and blaming scapegoats such as immigrants in the above example, we could change this. Rather than be forced to work less-than-ideal jobs for pay that barely covers cost of life, we could make it so that we all had our needs provided for.
