JK>So, as it has seemed to me for a few years now, the so-called "Middle Class" in America is rapidly JK>disappearing, leading to a country of vastly rich and vastly poor Yes. Well, that was happening: you were the country with a "diamond-shaped" profile, a massive middle class, then the middle class began sinking. It's a long time since I taught this stuff and I'd stopped before the slide of the middle class, but I'll check it out and try to answer properly tomorrow (hoping someone else comments meanwhile!) Judy Evans, Cardiff ----- Original Message ----- From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 1:55 AM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: [lit-id] The Poverty of Heritage So, as it has seemed to me for a few years now, the so-called "Middle Class" in America is rapidly disappearing, leading to a country of vastly rich and vastly poor. Is this a trend similar in the UK? In other European countries? In Asia? Must there be a meta-narrative of poor/rich, struggle economically, establishment of some sort of Middle Class with the extremely rich and extremely poor in the minorities, followed by a decline to a point where the "Middle Class" no longer exists? I realize that's a huge over-simplification, but I'm not sure I understand the triggers and causes for the trajectory here, and whether they would apply similarly in other countries. Julie Krueger ignorant