Middle class
The term middle class was coined by James Bradshaw in a 1745 pamphlet" Scheme to prevent running Irish Wools to France."
The term has had various, even contradictory, meanings.
In medieval European feudal society( 8 th- 12th centuries), a" middle class" composed primarily of peasants who formed a new" bourgeoisie" based on the success of their mercantile ventures, eventually overthrew the ruling monarchists of their society and ultimately led to the rise of capitalist societies.
The middle class is a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy.
However, it is oversimplification to consider this term as an easily identifiable category that falls between" x" and" y" on one specific, agreed- upon continuum with established criteria.
The definition of the term" middle class" is highly political and vigorously contested by various schools of political and economic philosophy.
Modern social theorists —and especially economists —have defined and re-defined the term" middle class" in order to serve their particular social or political ends.
The definitions of the term" middle class" therefore are the result of the more- or less- scientific methods used when delineating the parameters of what is and is n't" middle class."
Within capitalism," middle- class" initially referred to the" bourgeoisie"; later, with the further differentiation of classes as capitalist societies developed, the term came to be synonymous with the term" petite bourgeoisie".
Marxism defines social classes according to their relationship with the means of production.
The" middle class" is said to be the class below the ruling class and above the proletariat in the Marxist social schema and is synonymous with the term" petite-" or" petty- bourgeoisie."
However, in modern developed countries, Marxist writers define the" petite bourgeoisie" as primarily comprising owners of small to medium- sized businesses, as well as the highly educated professional class of doctors, engineers, architects, lawyers, university professors, salaried middle- management of capitalist enterprises of all sizes, as the" middle class" which stands between the ruling capitalist" owners of the means of production" and the working class.
The common measures of what constitutes middle class vary significantly among cultures.
On the one hand, the term can be viewed primarily in terms of socioeconomic status.
One of the narrowest definitions limits it to those in the middle fifth of the nation's income ladder.
A wider characterization includes everyone but the poorest 20% and the wealthiest 20%.
Some theories like" Paradox of Interest", use decile groups and wealth distribution data to determine the size and wealth share of the middle class.
In modern American vernacular, the term" middle class" is most often used as a self- description by those persons whom academics and Marxists would otherwise identify as the working class, which are below both the upper class and the true middle class, but above those in poverty.
This leads to considerable ambiguity over the meaning of the term" middle class" in American usage.
Sociologists such as Dennis Gilbert and Joseph Kahl see this American self- described" middle class"( working class) as the most populous class in the United States.
In 1977 Barbara Ehrenreich and her then husband John defined a new class in the United States as" salaried menial workers who do not own the means of production and whose major function in the social division of labor ...[ is] ... the reproduction of capitalist culture and capitalist class relations;" the Ehrenreichs named this group the" professional- managerial class."
There has been significant global middle- class growth over time.
In February 2009," The Economist" asserted that over half the world's population now belongs to the middle class, as a result of rapid growth in emerging countries.
It characterized the middle class as having a reasonable amount of discretionary income, so that they do not live from hand- to- mouth as the poor do, and defined it as beginning at the point where people have roughly a third of their income left for discretionary spending after paying for basic food and shelter.
American middle class
The American middle class is a social class in the United States.
While the concept is typically ambiguous in popular opinion and common language use, contemporary social scientists have put forward several ostensibly congruent theories on the American middle class.
Depending on the class model used, the middle class constitutes anywhere from 25% to 66% of households.
One of the first major studies of the middle class in America was, published in 1951 by sociologist C. Wright Mills.
Later sociologists such as Dennis Gilbert of Hamilton College commonly divide the middle class into two sub-groups.
Constituting roughly 15% to 20% of households is the upper or professional middle class consisting of highly educated, salaried professionals and managers.
Constituting roughly one third of households is the lower middle class consisting mostly of semi-professionals, skilled craftsmen and lower- level management.
Middle- class persons commonly have a comfortable standard of living, significant economic security, considerable work autonomy and rely on their expertise to sustain themselves.
Members of the middle class belong to diverse groups which overlap with each other.
Overall, middle- class persons, especially upper-middle- class individuals, are characterized by conceptualizing, creating and consulting.
Thus, college education is one of the main indicators of middle- class status.
Largely attributed to the nature of middle- class occupations, middle class values tend to emphasize independence, adherence to intrinsic standards, valuing innovation and respecting non-conformity.
Politically more active than other demographics, college educated middle class professionals are split between the two major parties.
Income varies considerably, from near the national median to well in excess of US$ 100,000.
However, household income figures do not always reflect class status and standard of living as they are largely influenced by the number of income earners and fail to recognize household size.
It is therefore possible for a large, dual- earner, lower middle class household to out- earn a small, one- earner, upper middle class household.
The middle classes are very influential as they encompass the majority of voters, writers, teachers, journalists and editors.
Most societal trends in the U.S. originate within the middle classes.
Lower middle class
In developed nations across the world, the lower middle class is a sub-division of the greater middle class.
Universally the term refers to the group of middle class households or individuals who have not attained the status of the upper middle class associated with the higher realms of the middle class, hence the name.
Upper middle class
In sociology, the upper middle class is the social group constituted by higher status members of the middle class.
This is in contrast to the term" lower middle class", which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle- class stratum, and to the broader term" middle class".
There is considerable debate as to how the upper middle class might be defined.
According to sociologist Max Weber, the upper middle class consists of well- educated professionals with postgraduate degrees and comfortable incomes.
The American upper middle class is defined similarly using income, education and occupation as the predominant indicators.
In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting mostly of white- collar professionals who not only have above- average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees but also a higher degree of autonomy in their work.
The main occupational tasks of upper-middle- class individuals tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction.
Upper middle class in the United States
In sociology, the upper middle class of the United States is the social group constituted by higher- status members of the middle class.
This is in contrast to the term lower middle class, which refers to the group at the opposite end of the middle class scale.
There is considerable debate as to how the upper middle class might be defined.
According to Max Weber, the[ upper middle class]] consists of well- educated professionals with graduate degrees and comfortable incomes.
The American upper middle class is defined using income, education, occupation and the associated values as main indicators.
In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting of white- collar professionals who have above- average personal incomes, advanced educational degrees and a high degree of autonomy in their work, leading to higher job satisfaction.
The main occupational tasks of upper middle class individuals tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction.
Raymond Abrashkin
Raymond Abrashkin( March 9, 1911 – August 25, 1960) was an American writer and filmmaker.
He is known for writing, co-producing, and co-directing" The Little Fugitive" and for co-creating and co-writing with Jay Williams the" Danny Dunn" series of science fiction books for children.
He also wrote the story" Little Cowboy"( 1948).
Little Theatre (Rochester, New York)
The Little Theatre in Rochester, New York, commonly known as" The Little" is a movie theatre located on historic East Avenue in downtown Rochester, New York and a modest non-profit multiplex specializing in art film, including independent and foreign productions outside the United States.
Founded in 1928, The Little is one of the oldest active movie theaters built specifically to show films in the US, serving as an alternative venue for cinema of higher artistic caliber than what was popular at the time.
To remain in business, The Little has created a unique theater experience for its patrons strikingly different from that of standard commercial cinemas.
The Little typically shows films that never make it to the large theater chains, either due to lack of publicity, popularity, exposure, or content that is too risky and/ or inappropriate for larger audiences( such as NC- 17 rated films).
Foreign films, independent films, some documentary films and art films are its common fare.
The Little is unique in the area in treating anime films as artistic cinema, and titles by the likes of Hayao Miyazaki always find their way to The Little's screens.
Critics at The Little provide a synopsis of any film they intend to show, both on their website and posted around their ticket booths on the street.
The Little also offers live musical performances from local musicians, a rotating art gallery of local artists, and a cafe.
Additionally, The Little serves as a performance venue during the Rochester International Jazz Festival each June.
The Little is also the home of the Little Theatre Film Society, a group of theater aficionados in the Rochester area.
The Little survives largely due to the hard work and dedication of the society's members.
The theater is currently operated with the participation of the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council, a non-profit community organization which owns and operates the region's principal public radio and television stations.
The Little has become part of Rochester's extensive theater culture.
Rochester has a rich history in cinema, being the home of the Eastman Kodak company and the George Eastman Museum.
Kodak film was historically used in a majority of motion pictures( and still is today), creating close ties to the movie industry in Rochester society.
The Little Theatre Film Society holds film festivals throughout the year, many of them hosted at The Little.
The theatre is well known by any serious cinema patron in Rochester for providing an alternative to standard Hollywood commercial fare.
The Little has also avoided the negative reputation for snobbishness that is sometimes associated with art house cinema, cultivating the image of a venue for anyone who is simply seeking an alternative or a community that celebrates cinema.
The word" Theatre" is often used instead of the word" Theater" to distinguish between art house cinemas and the more common variety.
Theatre is an older form of the word, though both words share the same literal meaning.
The Little uses the older form both to make this distinction and due to the age of the theater itself.
Mexican-American middle class
The Mexican American middle class is a sub population of people of Mexican descent living in the United States who identify with a middle class status.
Middle Class Madhavan
Middle Class Madhavan is a 2001 Tamil- language romantic comedy film written and directed by T. P. Gajendran.
The film stars Prabhu and Abhirami in the lead roles, while Vadivelu, Vivek, and Visu play supporting roles.
The film explores the travails of newlyweds who are forced to live in a joint family.
The film was remade in Telugu as" Mee Intikoste Yem Istaru Ma Intikoste Yem Testaru".
The music was composed by Dhina, and the film released on 18 May 2001.
The Little Cowboy
The Little Cowboy( originally titled Küçük Kovboy) is a 1973 Turkish western film, directed by Guido Zurli, starring Cüneyt Arkın.

Question: Which film came out earlier, Middle Class Madhavan or The Little Cowboy?
Answer: The Little Cowboy