Blade Nzimande on the black middle classes

[NameOfBeast]

Or, as Cde Blade titles it:

On our political and ideological tasks in relation to the black middle classes​

The formation of Cope by the Gang of 3 has been cleverly manipulated by this grouping and sections of the media to project Cope as the best political representative of the black middle classes in South Africa. This is indeed a deliberate political fabrication, as demonstrated by how various components of black professionals, including some of their leading organizations, have both endorsed the ANC Manifesto and roundly rejected the right-wing opportunism of the Gang of 3 on, amongst other things, affirmative action.

For the purposes of this piece, I am not going to delve into the complex and vexed question of the class boundaries between, on the one hand, the middle class and the working class, and, on the other hand, the bourgeoisie; important as this question maybe particularly for a country like South Africa. For example in a country like ours there is some overlap between certain strata of the working class and the middle classes. For instance, whilst in many other countries nurses and teachers are regarded as part of the middle classes, these strata in South Africa have largely identified themselves fully with the working class and also act as such.

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=116613&sn=Detail

 

[Albereth]

Working and middle class have more to do with income earned than the colour of their collars. Nurses and teachers get paid decent wages in other countries.

i suppose the cynic in me would also question whether a lot of them work anyway?

 

[JungleBoy]

Working and middle class have more to do with income earned than the colour of their collars. Nurses and teachers get paid decent wages in other countries.
i suppose the cynic in me would also question whether a lot of them work anyway?

That's a very relative statement. Perhaps you could be more specific. Are they paid decent salaries compared to our own civil servants or compared to other proffessions?
I think if you compare our civil servants with working class occupations, they are very well paid and deserver to be classed as middle class. But if you compare them to civil servants in other countries they would be classed as minimum wage earners.

 

[semiautomatix]

It is of no use for us to complain about the growing corrupting culture of personal accumulation and glorification of individual wealth, whilst our black economic empowerment model thus far has largely fostered narrow 'deal-chasing' private accumulation benefitting only a few.

Well at least he got something right. He does realise that he is criticizing his big brother's policies though, doesn't he?

 

[semiautomatix]

Blade: why is the SACP incapable of running as its own party in elections?

I would like to see this country become like communist China, the working class won't know what hit them. They will be exploited and oppressed until there is nothing left! This guy is full of hot air, he doesn't really understand what communism is about.

 

[stoke]

What The Heck is a black middle class?
Somebody has to help people remember that there is no such thing as racial borders anymore.
The middle class is the middle class is the middle class is the ...

 

[icyrus]

What The Heck is a black middle class?
Somebody has to help people remember that there is no such thing as racial borders anymore.
The middle class is the middle class is the middle class is the ...

That idea has been dead for some time now.

 

[Albereth]

That's a very relative statement. Perhaps you could be more specific. Are they paid decent salaries compared to our own civil servants or compared to other proffessions?
I think if you compare our civil servants with working class occupations, they are very well paid and deserver to be classed as middle class. But if you compare them to civil servants in other countries they would be classed as minimum wage earners.

I think that you'll find that their salaries are favourable when compared to those paid to other people in those countries. Sure, you need to factor in a bunch of other aspects such as the standard of living etc.

The arguement about the classes was that working class were labourers, miners, etc., upper class were the aristocracy, and middle class were everyone else. By this definition, civil servants are, in the main, middle class. I say in the main because government may employ street sweepers and there could be an argument that all those people employed by government are 'civil servants'.

Ultimately it is wrong to try and equate class to job description to wages earned, but sometimes someone will try and do it to support an argument.