Overclass is a recent and
pejorative
A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
term for the most powerful group in a social
hierarchy
A hierarchy (from Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important ...
. Users of the term generally imply excessive and
unjust privilege
Privilege may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Privilege'' (film), a 1967 film directed by Peter Watkins
* ''Privilege'' (Ivor Cutler album), 1983
* ''Privilege'' (Television Personalities album), 1990
* ''Privilege (Abridged)'', an alb ...
and exploitation of the rest of society.
The word is fairly recent: the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...
'' included it only in December 2004. But it has been in use since at least 1995. Some writers compare it to the more familiar ''
underclass
The underclass is the segment of the population that occupies the lowest possible position in a class hierarchy, below the core body of the working class.
The general idea that a class system includes a population ''under'' the working class has ...
'':
The influence of the actions by the overclass have been rigorously studied, particularly with regards to notions of intersections between the overclass and specific races. Most notable of these racial overclasses is the
NEWBO
Lee Hawkins, Jr. is an American journalist and musician.
Early life
Hawkins grew up in Maplewood, Minnesota. His father, Lee Hawkins, Sr., is an Alabama native. Hawkins attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating with a degree in p ...
, or NEW Black Overclass in America.
Perhaps the most commonly agreed-upon "overclass" consists of leaders in
international business
International business refers to the trade of goods, services, technology, capital and/or knowledge across national borders and at a global or transnational scale.
It involves cross-border transactions of goods and services between two or mor ...
,
finance and the
arms trade.
See also
*
Lists of billionaires
By nationality
* List of Argentines by net worth
* List of Americans by net worth
**List of richest Americans in history
* List of Australians by net worth
** ''Financial Review'' Rich List
* List of Austrians by net worth
* List of Belgians by ...
*
Oligarchy
Oligarchy (; ) is a conceptual form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people may or may not be distinguished by one or several characteristics, such as nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, ...
*
Power elite
In political and sociological theory, the elite (french: élite, from la, eligere, to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. De ...
*
Ruling class
In sociology, the ruling class of a society is the social class who set and decide the political and economic agenda of society. In Marxist philosophy, the ruling class are the capitalist social class who own the means of production and by exte ...
*
Transnational capitalist class (also see
Superclass)
*
Upper class
Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is ...
*
Underclass
The underclass is the segment of the population that occupies the lowest possible position in a class hierarchy, below the core body of the working class.
The general idea that a class system includes a population ''under'' the working class has ...
References
Further reading
* ''Newsweek''
cover story on "How the new elite scrambled up the merit ladder—and wants to stay there any way it can."
External links
Why the Right Is Wrong for America 1996
1995
1995 neologisms
Social groups
Power (social and political) concepts
Political slurs
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