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Friday 29 November 2013

Where do you fit in?


What do the middle classes do to earn a crust these days? Lots of things I suppose, but over a few decades vast numbers seem to have drifted into the public sector. I certainly did and drifted is the right word as far as I'm concerned.

There are of course plenty of middle class careers outside the public sector, but how secure are they? How many are likely to be replaced by increasingly sophisticated IT systems? How many are so heavily embraced by EU and national governments that the public/private dividing line disappears?

It’s tempting to see a back to the future world of aristocrats, clerks and peasants evolving here, so is the EU trend essentially medieval apart from the jousting and leprosy?

If so, then maybe we’d have

An EU Court with its courtiers.
EU Regional (erstwhile national) Courts with their courtiers.
A Privileged clerical class.
A Privileged professional class of lawyers, doctors and accountants.
Commercial guilds.
Peasants.

Where do you fit in?

4 comments:

Sackerson said...

I've often thought that the underclass in hoodies look like those mediaeval peasants in marginal illustrations in illuminated manuscripts. We have certainly rolled back that Carnaby Street exuberance of the Sixties/Seventies.

Sam Vega said...

I think I'm in the privileged clerical class, but with elements of court jester.

I have an allotment too, but this is not enough to gain my freedom.

Demetrius said...

The class that is missed out as in so much of Medieval History books etc. is that of the Captains and Sergeants along with the Mercenary companies. They are the "missing link" in controlling society. Who are their equivalent today?

A K Haart said...

Sackers - but did those mediaeval peasants slouch so much? Is it the weight of the hood?

Sam - maybe it all depends how many serfs you have to tend your allotment.

Demetrius - G4S?