Community Chat

[JBKO]

I always wonder what that must feel like. The disparity is so marked. I remember reading how Chile has a thriving middle-class and not quite getting why that even had to be mentioned. You have to realize that in a lot of these countries there are the haves and the have-nots. And the have-nots can be upwards of 90%. As always, I'm curious to hear what you think/your experience.

[SahmIam]

My in-laws are when they go to one of their homes. Mum came from working class, Dad from upper class; it simply is what it is for many reasons and they'll tell you that. Their lives have been fascinating, that's for sure.

As for being a "have"; their estate employs many who would have no income or one that pays wages you can't live on. His job brought him there and mum, being a nurse, chose to work as a mid-wife for the women who had no medical care during pregnancy and delivery. Was she looked down upon by those other haves? By some, yes. By others, no.  

They will tell you that there does not exist a country where everyone is equal financially. Not going to happen. Like I said, they have lived fascinating lives and my FIL's occupation is one/was one that the things he saw, people he knew....you could listen to him speak for hours and hours and hours......

[songbird]

I work at a university.  Yes, we do get upper middle class students from abroad.  Sometimes from 3rd world countries.  Two of them were twins from Vietnam.  Their father was wealthy and educated.  They were doing graduate work.  Undergraduate was at Cambridge.  Another student was from Bangladesh.  She was Muslim, married at 17.  But because she was from an upper class background, she was educated.  When I met her, she was 19 and an undergraduate.  She intended to get her masters.  Yes, still married to her husband.   And she had 2 children.  Many other students too.  One from Yemen Probably one of the worlds backward country.  But yes, he was from a very rich family.  Most of the overseas families were form China and India.  Certainly not 3rd world countries.  We also have princes from Arab countires.  One student I remember used 100.00 bills as book marks.  He returned one book with one of them still inside.  An honest  student turned it in to us.  

[SilleeMee]

Before the war Japan was an underdeveloped country, mostly agricultural and fishing.  That's the time my mother was born there. Her family was upper class land owners during that time and they were well-off enough to escape 'the bombs' and devastation. She told me that most of the evacuees were people who had money to make the escape and the poor majority were left behind. My mother's family lost everything and back then it really didn't matter what 'class' you were. It was more about making use of what was available at the time...a story of struggle, survival and the willingness to accept the ways of the western world.

[151949]

I've known many doctors and other professionals throughout my career who were wealthy people from countries where the vast majority of the population are extremely poor. Esp. India,Pakistan, and other SE asian countries. Most never wish to return to where they grew up. Many have been educated in boarding schools in western Eurpean countries like Germany & England, and even some in the USA.

[chrystaltree]

I don't think it's any different than being middle class or upper middle class here and driving by the housing projects or seeing the homeless lined up in front of a church to get a 2 free baloney sandwhiches and bottle of water.  It's no different than going into the city to buy a $400 Dooney bag and dropping $5 into that homeless guy's cup, the one with who has one leg.  Every country has it's "haves" and it's "have nots".  And some parts of this country have a heck of lot of "have nots".

[suzyQ3]

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@chrystaltreewrote:

I don't think it's any different than being middle class or upper middle class here and driving by the housing projects or seeing the homeless lined up in front of a church to get a 2 free baloney sandwhiches and bottle of water.  It's no different than going into the city to buy a $400 Dooney bag and dropping $5 into that homeless guy's cup, the one with who has one leg.  Every country has it's "haves" and it's "have nots".  And some parts of this country have a heck of lot of "have nots".

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@chrystaltree, I agree. The difference is only of proportions.

But history does tell us that there is often a boiling point. As poverty increases and especially if it's due in part to the machination of the "haves," it's an invitation to upheaval. The most moderately proportioned societies, the ones who work at it, are the most stable.

[ROMARY]

In those specific countries where there is an abundance of natural rescources and exports, ('Af', etc., etc. 'You know': diamonds, gemstones, oil, coffee, etc., etc.) it seem to me that whatever taxes are collected from the industries with high profits, they surely aren't used to help their people in need at the bottom of the ladder.  It's been going on for years and years and years. 

'Where's the money'?

P.S.: I don't mind contributing to other countries/places where there just aren't any natural resources, industries, and/or exports.  They are truly in need, not having anything to 'sell' to other countries.   

[reiki604]

Please clarify what you consider the attributes of a third world nation?

[blackhole99]

My son was seeing an upper middle class Mexican woman when  he lived in Mexico. The family had 3 homes and a business and were robbed and threatened many times. Their son was kidnapped, ransom was paid and they moved to another part of Mexico. Yes, there are all kinds of poor in the US, which IMO is shameful.As far as I know, upper class is not being harassed and kidnapped on a regular basis here in the states.